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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




DUKE DAVIS 



FLASHLIGHTS 

FROM 

MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



By DUKE DAVIS 



. . . .PUBLISHED BY. . . . 

THE PENTECOSTAL UNION 

(Pillar of Fire) 

Bound Brook, N. J 

1911 



T^. '- 



Copyright, 191 1, by The Pentecostal Union. 
International Copyright Secured. 



>\ 



iCI.A2Sl)r»97 



INTRODUCTION 




A few years ago the writer and some co- 
workers conducted revival services in Mon- 
tana. Among those who were converted was 
Duke Davis, the author of this book, who is 
a nephew of Mrs. Alma White and myself. He 
afterwards came to the Bible School to prepare 
for the ministry, and has labored faithfully 
toward the spread of the Gospel. His famil- 
iarity with Western cowboy life, together with 
a facile pen and the illumination of the Spirit 
have enabled him to write a volume that will 
doubtless afford pleasure and profit to thou- 
sands. His descriptions of the bucking 
bronco, the herds of cattle, the ''round up," 
the "stampede," and the cowboy himself with 
his spurs, ''chaps" and inseparable lariat, are 
full of interest. 

The book reveals the author's fondness 
for outdoor life. He enjoyed the liberty of 
the birds, the sparkle of the mountain streams, 
the beauty of the open sky with the brightness 
of noon, the hues of sunset and the serenity 
of the stars. In addition he has the feelings 
aiKi instincts of a cowboy and doubtless would 



INTRODUCTION 

have spent his life on the plains had not the 
Lord thrown about him the lasso of Divine 
grace and commissioned him to preach the 
Gospel. 

The book is deeply spiritual. Though not 
of- a doctrinal character it is both safe and 
sane. The author has an observing eye and 
finds "tongues in the trees, books in the run- 
ning brooks, sermons in stones," and God 
everywhere. Through these pages there flows 
a spring of living water; the Christian will be 
refreshed by it and the sinner may stoop down 
and drink and live. We trust the book may 
have a wide circulation and that the Lord will 
greatly use it to promote his cause and king- 
dom. C. W. Bridwell. 



CONTENTS 



What Might Have Been -----^-13 

Personal Experience -------- 21 

Riding Broncos ----------40 

In Yellowstone Park --------51 

How Shall We Escape? --------61 

The Western Bronco -------- y2 

Training for Service - -------89 

Endurance ------------ 102 

\Vaters of Life ---------- m 

The Mountain Lily --------119 

Fishing ------------- 125 

''Calves of the Stall^' -------- i^i 

Thanksgiving Day in Camp ------ 138 

Guard the Weak Places - - - - - - - 153 

Little Things ----------- 167 

Sheep and Their Shepherds ------ 172 

A Lucrative Business -------- 182 

The Riches of Earth -------- iqi 

"Wound Up" ----------- 202 



CONTENTS 

They Seek A Country ------ - 212 

The Indian ------------ 220 

Watch and Pray - -------- 227 

Meditation ------------231 

The Stampede ----------- 238 

A Cold Ride ----------- 250 

The Harvest is Past -------- 260 



Note — The colortypes in this book, as well as the illus- 
trations on pages 35, 44, 47, 206, 240, 252 and 256, are repro- 
ductions of pictures by C M. Russell, the well-known "Cow- 
boy Artist," and are Copyrighted by the Ridgley Calendar 
Go. of Great Falls, Montana. 



WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 



QUIETLY NESTLED at the foot of a 
range of hills skirting the Ohio River 
lies the little town of V , Ky. In 

the early summer time the heavy green foliage 
on the hills, dotted here and there with dog- 
wood blossoms of white, furnishes a pictur- 
esque background when viewed from a passing 
boat or from the opposite bank of the river. 
During the hot, sultry days of summer, little 
of interest happens to break the quietude of 
the inhabitants. Perhaps the passing of a 
squeaky old wagon loaded with lumber, tan 
bark or hoop-poles from the country district, 
and drawn by a yoke of oxen, or it may be 
the whistle of an incoming train occasionally 
breaks the monotony of those who lazily reclinr 
in front of their places of business. 

Just a block from the business center, and 
separated from the county courthouse prem- 
ises by a narrow street, is one of the chief 
livery barns of the city. A large tree with 
wide extended branches, growing near the 



14 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

curbing, and just a little to the left of the en- 
trance furnishes abundant shade for the not 
too busy proprietor and his assistants, as well 
as for some half dozen other idlers who have 
sought a retreat from the burning rays of 
the sun. 

The wooden benches and rudely con- 
structed chairs, by their markings, show too 
plainly that the penknife had had little mercy 
upon them. Little piles of shavings from 
pieces of white pine or sweet-smelling cedar 
wood lie here and there upon the ground, all 
betokening the chief occupation of those who 
gathered there from day to day to pass away 
the time. 

Two barefoot boys, some ten or eleven 
years old, having grown tired of their play 
down by the river, chance along on their way 
home. They were boon companions and were 
seldom separated long at a time. During the 
school session they attended the same school 
and occupied a seat together. They engaged 
in the same games side by side; they fished 
together and swam together and were growing 
up as friendly as friends could be. But to-day 
the tie was to be broken. They, too, welcoming 
a cool place, take a seat side by side on the 
curbstone, and instinctively their knives were 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 17 

brought from their pockets. Finding them 
somewhat dull, they proceeded to sharpen 
them. Presently they engage in some childish 
dispute, which under favorable environments, 
would have passed away immediately. But 
not so here. Just such a place would Satan 
choose to do something out of the ordinary — 
in the midst of men sitting around smoking, 
chewing and swearing. Most wicked men like 
to see boys fight, and these were no exception. 
The boys, though at first not sufficiently pro- 
voked at each other to strike, are urged on until 
they are striking at each other with their 
knives, yet in their own hearts it ^yas in a play- 
ful way, neither thinking that the other was 
angry. Nevertheless, one of them becomes sud- 
denly infuriated, and his long, keen knife blade 
finds its way into a vital spot of him who but a 
moment before was his chum. The wounded 
boy is taken to the doctor's office, and after ex- 
amination, little hope is given for his recovery. 
However, the wound is dressed and he is car- 
ried home and placed upon a bed. The pious 
old preacher, with his Bible, comes and reads 
and prays, and with an uncertain look upon his 
face, goes away again. The neighbors come in 
and walk softly about the room and in muffled 
tones discuss the case. The doctor makes his 

2 



i8 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

regular visits, and after a course of time the 
danger point is safely passed and hopes of com- 
plete restoration are entertained, yet the pa- 
tient lay for weeks in the summer's heat 
scarcely able to move. 

Giving due credit to the attending physi- 
cian and careful nursing, we dare say, owing to 
the nature of the wound, that death might 
have resulted had not that Great Physician, 
that unseen visitor at every bedside of the sick, 
been present and mightily manifested His 
power and love. 

To return to the place where this deed 
was perpetrated, let us imagine how easily it 
might have been avoided had any of the adults 
present administered a word of rebuke or ad- 
monition instead of urging the boys to fight. 
There is a great reward awaiting peacemakers, 
but they who delight in stirring up strife and 
contention among others are sure of awful ret- 
ribution. 

Let us see what time has wrought in this 
case, so far as is possible at least. One of the 
young men present who most delighted in a 
fight, was afterward seized with a dread dis- 
ease and after suffering for months, passed out 
of this life, leaving behind him no evidehce of 
a victorious death. The boy who used the 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 19 

knife became a saloon keeper when grown up. 
Others who were present continued to chew 
and smoke and whittle away their lives and 
have departed this life having accomplished 
nothing of worth. Still others traveled the 
same old beaten paths for years and probably 
never yielded to the entreaties of the Holy 
Spirit. 

But was there no peacemaker in evidence 
on this occasion? A young man serving the 
county as clerk, just at the opportune moment, 
emerges from his place of duty. Taking in 
the situation at a glance, he puts a stop to what 
might have ended more seriously. Many 
years passed and he remained at his position of 
honor. 

The boy who received the wound, having 
little restraint placed upon him, lived the way 
of the world until manhood was reached. 
He went West and for a number or years min- 
gled with the hardened men of the plains, but 
the mighty hand of God, no doubt laid upon 
him through the prayers of a mother who 
parted this life when he was but five years of 
age, still pressed upon him and delivered him 
from dangerous places. Yet how easily those 
prayers might have been hindered by his per- 
sistently pursuing a course opposite to the will 



20 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



of God. He gave his heart to God and is now 
a servant of high heaven to pubHsh the salva- 
tion of peace to a dying world. 

The above incident might have been 
avoided by a timely admonition, then again 
suffering and death might have ensued were it 
not that the God of mercy is deeply interested 
in the affairs of men on earth. 



'] 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 21 



PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 



OUR READERS who have never come in 
close touch with Hfe in the far West no 
doubt have their opinions and ideas, 
based on what they have read and heard, as 
to the character of cowboys and their manner 
of living. It is likely that you have set them 
down as a class of rough young men, given 
wholly to revelry and wickedness and void of 
true gentlemanly qualities and Christian prin- 
ciples. It is true that in frontier days many 
wicked deeds were perpetrated by some of 
these men of the range. Their drunken sprees 
and unexpected rides through towns shooting 
right and left, causing a general stampede of 
the inhabitants, is a matter of history. But 
aside from these undesirable traits and waves 
of reckless enthusiasrii, and under their rough 
exterior, many of them were found with hearts 
true and loyal to their fellowmen and full of 
S3mipathy for the weak and helpless. 

It is the demon of drink that makes men 
cruel and unreasonable in their demeanor. We 
have known cowboys, who, when sober, were 
quiet, congenial and agreeable companions, 



22 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

but when under the influence of intoxicants 
were transformed into mad men, and would 
want to fight, shoot, and in every way possible 
give vent to their feelings. 

The life of a cowboy is fascinating and 
when once entered upon by the young man 
is usually pursued until disabled by accident 
or the long-continued riding incapacitates him 
for such a strenuous occupation. Most cow- 
boys become hardened in sin and often drift 
beyond the reach of the Gospel. However, 
we have known some of them to become truly 
converted, have their wild and reckless natures 
subdued and become workers in the Lord's 
vine3^ard to preach deliverance to others who 
are bound by the chains of sin." But such in- 
stances are rare. In fact, there be few from 
any walk of life who choose the narrow^ way 
and bear the reproach of the cross. 

It was in the spring of 1896, when a 
youth in my teens, I left my quiet Kentucky 
home in Lewis County and started west. My 
destination was a stock ranch in the Grass- 
hopper Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana. 
On arriving at Dillon I visited a few days at 
the home of relatives. The ranch to which 
I wished to go was thirty-five miles distant, 
and as there was no regular conveyance to 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 23 

that section of the country, arrangements were 
made to ride over with a stockman who Hved 
on beyond and was then in town with a four- 
horse team purchasing supphes for his ranch. 
This trip out to the ranch was my first intro- 
duction to western ways. However, I had 
read and heard considerable and was pretty 
well acquainted with things in general. I took 
a seat beside the driver and owner of the 
team and in the course of an hour's drive we 
had left the muddy roads of the valley and had 
reached a stretch of prairie land, and were 
making toward a range of mountains some 
fifteen or twenty miles away. 

In the meantime Mr. W , who had im- 
bibed freely of the forbidden beverage while 
in town and along the way, was becoming 
somewhat drowsy and, turning the lines over 
to me, sought a place for repose in the back 
part of the wagon where one of his hired men 
also lay. It required most of the latter's time 
and strength to manage a rope to which were 
attached five or six half-broke horses. In the 
West they have a singular way of leading 
broncos. They tie the halter of one horse se- 
curely to the tail of another, and so on, until 
four or five may be strung out together. As 
these horses were not well broke to lead they 



24 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

would frequently get to pulling back which 
would cause the most vigorous kicking on the 
part of the horse in front. At such times 
there would be two or three sets of heels flying 
in the air, while as many horses would be pull- 
ing back with all their might trying to keep 
their heads out of reach. Fortunately for the 
horses that were being kicked at, their ropes 
were long enough to enable them to keep their 
heads at a safe distance. This was all great 
amusement for a boy from the East, and 
though our thirty-five mile ride was over des- 
ert waste and rugged mountains, the trip did 
not seem long, and before nightfall I had 
reached my aunt's stock ranch. Here I 
stayed for a year working with horses and cat- 
tle, helping with the harvesting of the hay crop 
and in the meantime learned something about 
riding, throwing a lariat, etc. It is needless 
to say I soon became very much attached to 
the free, open life of the plains and had no 
desire to return east. 

In the winter of 1898 I concluded to get a 
little more schooling and entered the State 
Normal School at Dillon which had just begun 
its first term. But by spring the desire for 
outdoor life was stronger than the inclination 
to sit within the walls of a school building and 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 27 

I soon found myself back on the ranch. 

Years went by and though I was of a 
reHgious disposition and had attended church 
and Sunday-school most of my life, the world 
was getting a strong hold on me and I was 
growing up pretty much as other young men, 
so far as having any serious thought about 
serving God was concerned. Like myriads of 
church members I knew not by experience 
what it means to be converted and was in dark- 
ness as to the truth of spiritual things. I had 
united with the Methodist Church and when 
living in, or near town always availed myself of 
the opportunity of attending religious services. 
Yet I had never ceased from sin or surren- 
dered my life to do the whole will of God, a 
thing which all must do in order to reach 
heaven. 

Nevertheless, I was often under convic- 
tion for my inconsistent life, and at such times 
would make an effort in my own strength to 
cease to do evil and learn to do well, but I saw 
too clearly that in myself I was a miserable 
failure, even though I succeeded in breaking 
away from many things that were question- 
able. But no matter how hard I tried, I 
could make myself no better in God's sight 
and was made to mourn my sad condition. I 



28 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

cried for deliverance, but it seems there was a 
reserve on my part, consequently I did not re- 
ceive the divine help I sought. Then too, I 
needed some living examples of God's true 
people to show me the way. The church serv- 
ices I had been in the habit of attending were 
of a superficial character. There was little or 
none of the power of God manifest in them. 
E'.mpty forms and ritualism are not calculated 
to help the sinner on to God. Such a service 
suits Satan's purpose very well for deceiving 
souls and easing the way down to perdition, but 
it takes infinitely more than this to cause men 
tc» fear and tremble because of their sins and 
to cry, ''What must I do to be saved." 

However, the Lord had His hand upon me 
and changed the order of things. Some evan- 
gelists came to town who had pulled away 
from dead ecclesiasticisms and had tarried 
until "endued with power from on high." Like 
a noted preacher of former years, they 
preached an "uttermost salvation for the right- 
eous and endless damnation for the wicked." 
Though living three miles from town at the 
time, I attended the special services regularly 
and soon found myself at the altar praying for 
salvation. I yielded to God and received the 
witness that I was His child. I received some 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 29 

wonderful touches on my soul and at times was 
very happy, but the carnal nature soon mani- 
fested itself and I often found myself strug- 
gling for the mastery over things that had for- 
merly predominated in my life. At the time of 
my conversion I felt a strong call to give up 
worldly ambition and to enter fully into prep- 
aration for the Lord's work, but I failed to 
make the struggle at that time and continued 
for two years or more to labor for the things 
that perish. But I was a changed man ever 
after my conversion, and though I lost some of 
the joy and peace from my soul, the foolish 
pleasures of the world had lost their charm for 
me and I realized that nothing short of God's 
blessing could ever completely satisfy. 

It was in the spring of 1904 that I took 
the position of foreman for the Herd- 
ing Association. This company was com- 
posed of four influential men, two or three 
of whom were old pioneers, and their cattle 
numbered some ten thousand head. Each of 
them owned ranches in Horse Prairie Valley, 
but they had company ranches fifty miles away 
in Big Hole Basin. Here they grazed their 
cattle in the summer time, trailing them back 
and forth in the spring and fall. Their cattle 
were allowed to drift toward the Basin in the 



so FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

spring before the round-up was started and 
the ranchers along the way considered it some- 
what of an intrusion for the cattle to graze 
over land adjacent to their ranches and were 
annoyed no little by their own cattle drifting 
with the large herd and straying away. 

As a result of these conditions there was 
more or less strife between the stockmen; and 
the ranchmen along the way, as well as 
those living in the Basin, thought the only way 
to even things up was to appropriate a "Mav- 
erick" or beef steer occasionally from the Com- 
pany herd. It is said of some of them that 
they never killed one of their own cattle, but 
seemed to think they were doing a good deed if 
they could get away with a ''Horse Prairie" 
animal. Of course the butchering was done 
under cover and the branded hides destroyed to 
avoid detection. Though their deeds were 
well known to many, it was difficult to prove 
a case against the offenders and but an occa- 
sional one was prosecuted. Howbeit some 
who had warrants issued against them skipped 
the country and remained away rather than 
return and stand the chance of proving them- 
selves of being innocent. Hence the country in 
one way and another was gradually being rid 
of the ''cattle rustlers." 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 31 

A portrayal of the character, and a rec- 
ord of the deeds of the various foremen 
the Company had had in their employ dur- 
ing the fifteen or twenty years previous to 
this time we daresay would make inter- 
esting reading. Though many of them 
distinguished themselves as being pretty 
well acquainted with the cattle business, and 
were expert at riding and throwing the rope, 
we failed to ever hear of one who was 
noted for his piety, and more than one found 
his way to the state prison as a result of his 
dishonest deeds. It is with most cowboys as 
it is with people everywhere, religion is a sec- 
ondary matter, or to be more precise, no mat- 
ter at all. Yet there are exceptions to all rules, 
and such is the power of the Gospel that it 
reaches men from every walk of life, even 
searches them out from the remote corners 
of the earth and transforms them and makes 
them to reflect the image of the immac- 
ulate One. 

Not a few of the Company's foremen were 
a sad disappointment to them. Though hired 
to look after the interests of the Company, 
many of them were in league with the un- 
scrupulous ranchers and butchers and co-oper- 
ated witli them in getting away with beeves 



1,2 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

and unbranded calves from the Company herd. 

But all such were soon found out and 
their wicked devices brought to an end. Men 
often succeed for a time in covering up their 
evil tracks, and some things are never brought 
to light in this world, but, ''Be sure your sin 
will find you out." If not in this life it will 
stand out in all its hideousness at the Judgment 
and before the assembled multitudes. We 
have heard of a stockman in the West who 
was once driving a herd of cattle to market. 
In passing another's ranch a stray cow got in 
among his cattle which he drove off to market 
and sold. Years went by and this same man 
was a seeker after God at the altar of prayer, 
but as he prayed a white cow was ever before 
Inm and refused to be removed. But as he 
was deeply in earnest to find peace to his soul 
he kept seeking until the Spirit prompted him 
to go back to the man whose cow he had driven 
off. After confessing his deed and paying for 
the stolen cow he had no further trouble. No 
doubt some stockmen would have a great herd 
looming up before them should they begin to 
pray for salvation. 

A rancher living in the vicinity of the cow 
camp had killed an animal belonging to the 
Company. He had cut the green hide into 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 33 

strips and used it in strengthening one of his 
hay racks. The cowboy in charge of the herd 
at that time, having occasion to borrow a hay 
wagon went to this neighbor and was given the 
one on which the rawhide had been used so 
freely. Being somewhat suspicious, he re- 
moved the strips of hide, placed them together 
and traced out one of the Company brands. 
Thus did one man's sin find him out, though 
he no doubt thought it was covered forever, 
but it was not even hid from the eyes of man, 
let alone the all-seeing eye of God. 

A visitor at a neighboring ranch one day 
observed a hide lying near which contained 
two large, round holes, one on each side where 
the brands had been. By way of a jest he re- 
marked, "You must have shot that one with 
a cannon." Of course the man had nothing to 
say, his guilt was too obvious. 

Though having been associated with such 
men as the foregoing describes and surrounded 
with environments that were conducive to 
lawlessness, there was not the least temptation 
to be a party to a dishonest deed — this partic- 
ular trait of evil was not in my make-up, yet 
ir the sight of God I was no less a sinner than 
many of those who openly violated the laws of 
the land. I felt at times like a fugitive from 

3 



34 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

justice, a Jonah fleeing from duty, and my con- 
demnation was no doubt greater than those of 
my associates who were out and out sinners 
and law breakers. I observed the moral law 
outwardly, but at this time I was a backslider 
and without the peace of the Lord in my soul. 

Other cowboys thought it strange when I 
did not become angry and swear when things 
went wrong and diat I did not smoke or play 
cards. Though having once been addicted to 
these habits 1 had long since gained the mas- 
tery over them and Satan seldom tempted me 
with these things. While this was much to 
be thankful for, I was not satisfied. The work 
in which I was engaged had a strong attach- 
ment for me and I was reluctant to give it up, 
yet I knew the Lord was calling me to work 
in His vine}ard, inasmuch as I could not get 
rid of the thought scarcely for an hour dur- 
ing the day. 

There were times that sleep went from 
my eyes and I would lie through the long hours 
of night pondering the question of giving up 
to God. I was fearful lest I should grieve 
the Spirit away and that the Lord woukl let 
trouble come upon me. In mounting or riding 
fractious horses forebodings of evil were ever 
before me. Instances of cowbovs who had 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 37 

had their hmbs crushed by horses faUing on 
them would frequently come to mind as warn- 
ings, and something would say that I might 
be the next one should I fail to obey the voice 
of the Lord, but He in mercy kept me from 
injury, though having been thrown from bron- 
cos several times, as well as to have them stum- 
ble and fall when going at a rapid rate across 
country. 

It is not an uncommon thing for horses 
on the range to fall by striking a badger or 
gopher hole when going at full speed. They 
somethings turn complete somersaults and on 
such occasions it is nothing short of a miracle 
if the rider escapes injury. I recall an occa- 
sion when galloping along with three other 
young men. I was riding in front. My horse 
went down and the one closest behind, unavoid- 
ably stumbled over my horse and we all piled 
up together. Aside from the few scratches 
the horses received, no damage was done and 
we rode on, hardly giving a passing remark 
to such an occurrence. 

Thus for an indefinite period I halted be- 
tween two opinions, but before the season's 
work was over, I had made up my mind to go 
to the Pillar of Fire Bible School in Denver. 
The Pillar of Fire paper, which came to my 



38 . FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

camp regularly, ever kept before me my duty to 
the Lord, and there was no evading the com- 
mand of Jesus, ''Follow me." I arrived in 
Denver, February 22, 1905, determined to do 
the will of the Lord and to seek His kingdom 
rather than the things of the world. Since that 
time He has graciously supplied all my needs 
and wonderfully blest my soul. Furthermore, 
He has kept me well in body and enabled me 
to work day after day in His vineyard. 

As the managing of a large herd of cat- 
tle involves no little responsibility and the fac- 
ing of many difficulties, I often felt incapable 
and concerned as to whether I was performing 
my duty acceptably or not. At such times I 
would feel discouraged, and more than once 
was tempted to resign. But I realized that 
such a course would only bring disappoint- 
ment and I determined to stay to the end of the 
season. 

Unexpected mix-ups with other cattle, 
strifes and contentions among the cowboys, 
the work of branding calves, etc., all bring 
trials and testings, and it requires coolness and 
force of wall to endure to the end of a season 
on the cattle range. However, when the work 
was over and all the cattle were gathered to 
their winter quarters and the accounts were 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



39 



settled, it was said to me, "You did good work 
for us this season, and if you have nothing 
better in view for next season, we should like 
to have you again," and intimated an increase 
in wages. I was grateful for the commenda- 
tion and offer, but I had ah-eady enlisted in the 
Lord's service and am striving that at the last 
great day I may hear the words, "Well done, 
good and faithful servant: * * enter thou into 
the joys of thy Lord." 




40 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



RIDING BRONCOS 



IT DOES not take a very close study of the 
accompanying illustrations to convince the 

reader what has happened. It is a scene that 
has often been enacted on the western plains. 
The young man from the city, by some myster- 
ious meanderings finds himself in a cow camp. 
When the delicate, though obstreperous youth 
thus comes in contact with the rough-and-tum- 
ble, ways of the men of the range, there are 
sure to be some strange happenings. The lack 
of knowledge such a one displays of life on the 
plains furnishes a good opportunity for the 
cowboys to have some fun. 

On observing some saddle horses in the cor- 
ral, he expresses a desire to ride one of them. 
Cowboys are always quite hospitable when it 
comes to lending horses to visitors, especially 
when they have some on hand that seem to be 
gaited to ragtime music, and manifest their 
hilarity as soon as mounted by starting across 
country, taking high rapid and successive 
jumps, which is often to the discomfiture of the 
rider, but always a welcome excitement for the 
on-lookers. Of course all true-spirited west- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 41 

erners always give the new arrival a chance 
for his life. They look him over and ask him 
if he can ride. Any one unacquainted with 
life in a cow camp has little conception of all 
that this question implies. "Can you ride?" 
"Oh yes, don't yer know. I have ridden in the 
cavalry, and have chased foxes across the 
country in England," etc., is the answer that is 
often given by the young Englishman. 

Most anyone can sit on a horse so long as 
he travels along in a steady and quiet gait, but 
in cowboy circles this question embraces much 
more than many of our readers might suppose. 
It is at least calculated to bring out the fact 
whether the one interrogated is capable of sad- 
dling a bronco, mounting him and retaining his 
seat while the horse is doing his best to unseat 
him as only a wild horse of the West can do. 
One who has not experienced the ordeal of sit- 
ting on a bucking horse, or seen his perform- 
ances, has little knowledge of how difficult it 
is for the novice to "stay" even for a jump or 
two, much more for a few minutes. However, 
who can, and who cannot, is often proved in the 
cattle districts of the West, and the tender- 
foot, who is confident of his ability to ride, is 
promptly provided an opportunity for estab- 
lishing the truth of his assertions. So a horse 



42 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

is brought forth and saddled. Though he 
stands very quiet while being saddled and 
mounted, the would-be rider is no sooner on his 
back than the performance begins. Those 
hardy men of the range fully know what will 
happen. They have already had visions of a 
horse with bowed head, jumping stiff-legged 
across the prairie, with the panic-stricken youth 
dangling from the horn of the saddle, while 
the air seems to be laden with flying buttons, 
caps, eyeglasses, kodaks, etc. Nevertheless, 
they play their part well, and give the unsus- 
pecting equestrian no reason to suppose they 
are "putting up a game on him.'' Judging 
from his position on the ground we conclude 
tliat he did not ride far, but we dare say he had 
an excellent opportunity for testing the atmos- 
phere in the upper regions, and had he been in 
possession of his right mind, he would doubt- 
less have imagined himself taking a flight in 
one of the modern aeroplanes. 

This little episode with its illustrations is 
presented here because of the very important 
spiritual lessons it impresses upon our mind. 
That Bible character who was especially famed 
for his wisdom, and who was acquainted with 
every phase of life, seemingly, handed down 
to us that true saying: "Pride goeth before 




H 
O 
O 

I 

Q 

W 
H 

W 
W 
H 

O 

O 

t— I 
H 
< 

H 
I— I 

;?; 

a 

W 

H 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 45 

destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." 
Had the young man in the picture come in a 
humble way, acknowledging his inability to 
ride, he would never have been given a "bad 
horse." But he came with a confidence in 
himself to do things, having never learned how. 
He needed to be humbled — he needed to find 
out his own weakness. A bucking bronco 
and two able instructors were the instruments 
to bring it about. It was a rough process, but 
one that never fails to work. We dare say he 
was a much humbler and wiser "boy afterward, 
and was greatly profited by the experience. 

Just so do men in pursuing material, or 
even spiritual ends, meet with reverses. Man's 
tendency is to become exalted and self-reliant 
after having attained to a degree of efficiency 
in any pursuit. Before God can use a person 
and make of him a vessel unto honor, possess- 
ing a humble and contrite spirit, it is often 
necessary for him to suffer failure in order to 
show him that his dependence must be in God 
alone. His progress, however, depends largely 
upon how he treats failure and reverses. Each 
defeat of one's own strength and plans may be 
used as a round in the ladder making the next 
upward step possible, or it may be used as a 



46 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

round on which to take the backward step lead- 
ing to destruction. 

Just as the cowboy of wide experience and 
long continued practice acquires the ability to 
ride the most agile and fractious broncos, so 
may the Christian become so established in the 
way of truth and righteousness that the most 
severe shakings that come from the powers of 
evil will not be able to dislodge him from his 
strongholds. 

Another picture, undrawn by any earthly 
artist, comes to our mind. That most un- 
tameable of animals — the man of flesh, seeks to 
be ridden by the spiritual man. But alas, how 
often the spiritual man is thrown to the ground 
and trampled under foot, while the carnal man 
plunges on, wasting mind and body and fur- 
nishing a spectacle for men and demons to look 
upon. The first and greatest work of man is 
to teach his body to serve his soul. If he fails 
to do this the reverse of the order will be the 
result and the destruction of both soul and 
body will be inevitable. 

While God often employs rigorous meth- 
ods to discipline His children, He subdues no 
man by force and against his will. The bronco 
rider mounts the wild horse, and with quirt 
and spur, forces him to go wherever he wills. 








n 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 49 

He does not care how high he jumps or how 
hard he comes down; he retains his seat and 
rides on. After repeated attempts to free 
himself from the galhng saddle and the cruel, 
spurs, the horse is well-nigh exhausted and will 
try .other ways of getting rid of his burden, 
such as lying down, etc. But all to no avail, 
the process is kept up until he is completely 
subdued and he becomes obedient to the slight- 
est reining of the rider. Horses of the more 
fractious and stubborn nature are often injured 
through the process of breaking by their own 
struggles or by the unnecessary cruelty with 
which some riders handle them. 

God never willingly afflicts one of His chil- 
dren, but man through the gratification of his 
own desires, injures himself both soul and 
body, and if such indulgence is persisted in, 
the body is soon beyond repair, while the soul 
becomes clouded in darkness and eventually 
takes up its abode with the myriads of 
fallen spirits in pandemonium. It is God's 
plan to bring man into subjection to His will, 
but He does it through mercy and the tender 
wooing of the Holy Spirit, and if a man re- 
sists those gentle pullings upon the heart- 
strings, and, like the horse that throws its 
rider, goes his own way, he will sooner or later 

4 



50 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



find that he has no restraint upon him at all, 
and God no longer talks to him. 

We trust that our readers will study these 
pictures well, for they are true to life, and out 
of them may be gleaned truths that will save 
the soul much suffering in this life, and from 
endless destruction. 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 51 

IN YELLOWSTONE PARK 



YELLOWSTONE PARK was established 
by the government, March i, 1872. 
Subsequently a forest reserve was 
added on the east and south sides. The 
park proper is about sixty-four miles long 
from north to south, fifty-four miles wide, 
and has an area of 3,312 square miles. It 
is mostly in northwestern Wyoming, with a 
narrow strip each in Montana and Idaho. -^ ^ * 
The park is an elevated plateau surrounded 
by mountains, and has an average elevation 
of about 7,500 feet above sea level. Large 
streams of lava have spread over the park, 
and these have been greatly modified by glacial 
action and erosion.'' 

The above facts we glean from a descrip- 
tive pamphlet issued by one of the leading 
railroad companies of the Northwest. It is 
not the purpose of this short sketch to acquaint 
the reader with the historical facts relative to 
the park or to attempt to give him even a 
meager description of this wonderful place of 
interest. Not only would time and space fail 
us in such an attempt, but we fear our language 



52 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

would be inadequate to do justice to this noted 
place, where God's hand seems to have placed 
within its boundaries so much to attract and 
interest the minds of thousands of tourists. 

The Queen of Sheba had heard much 
about the glory and magnificence of Solomon's 
kingdom, but on traveling a long distance to 
see for herself, she exclaimed, "Behold, the 
half was not told me." So we find in trying 
to tell of some of nature's beauty spots, words 
simply fail us. Perhaps no other place in all 
the world furnishes such a wide field for 
nature-study, recreation and delightsome pas- 
time as Yellowstone Park. Here we find nature 
at her best. The large stretches of forests, 
untracked to a large extent by the foot of man, 
but roamed over by the wild beasts of the 
field, cause a feeling of loneliness to come 
over one who is unaccustomed to such sur- 
roundings. 

As the visitor from the East alights from 
the train, perhaps the first thing that brings 
forth words of praise and admiration are the 
lofty snow-capped mountains that greet the eye 
on every side. There seems to be no end to 
them as the eye follows them for miles and 
miles. Truly the Creator of heaven and earth 
did not lack for material in piling up these 




PULPIT TERRACE 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 55 

great heaps of earth and stone. We are re- 
minded of His magnanimity, His abundant 
love, mercy and grace, which He so lavishly 
bestows upon His children. Then the atten- 
tion is called to the tall and stately pine, fir and 
spruce trees that cover mountain and valley, 
again showing the liberality of Him who giveth 
us all things to enjoy. 

''Yellowstone Park is the scenic gem of 
the Great West." Well might it be called 
"Wonderland." The startling scenes in nat- 
ural phenomena that greet one on every hand 
are awe-inspiring, and memories of them ever 
linger in the minds of those who are so fortu- 
nate as to look upon them. Words are power- 
less when one experiences the overwhelming 
sensation produced by a first glimpse of its 
wonders. Its rivers and valleys are among the 
most beautiful in the world. Among its rari- 
ties are the wonderful geysers, hot springs, ter- 
races and the grand canon of the Yellowstone 
River. There is nothing that men have writ- 
ten that is adequately descriptive of some of 
these beautiful scenes of nature-harmony. 

Here too, is the only place where the pub- 
lic may see the wild animals in their natural 
state. The animals evince little timidity, and 
it is not an uncommon sight, as you drive 



56 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

along, to see elk or deer slaking their thirst 
in the stream near by. Or you may see a large 
bear out in the stream taking his daily bath. 

The lover of nature may spend days and 
weeks within the boundaries of this noted place 
and never tire of its scenery. As he drives 
along in stage coach the landscape is ever 
changing. The experiences of each new day 
bring their charm and impressiveness. From 
the main road one may take side trips into the 
wilderness and look upon scenes perhaps never 
before seen by the eye of man. 

We have visited "Wonderland," and have 
made mention, in our weak way of a few of its 
attractive features, and also present here two 
views of its scenery, which are by no means its 
most beautiful spots. In looking upon its 
scenery, in breathing in the fresh, pure moun- 
tain air or fishing in its clear rippling streams, 
we were thankful to God who provided such a 
place where one may go and be entirely separ- 
ated from the pomp and pride of modern civi- 
lization and be alone with God and be sur- 
rounded by a variety of scenery not found else- 
where on the earth. 

But after all how many do we meet from 
whose hearts no expressions of gratitude come 
at sight of these things ! Some people only see 




CLEOPATRA TERRACE 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 59 

the baser things of the world, and have eyes 
that are bhnded to those things that are in- 
tended to make them think of God and heavenly 
things. 

Reader, there is another 'Wonderland," 
as yet not visited by mortal man, which, for 
beauty and magnificence, far surpasses any- 
thing on earth. We are told about it in the 
word of God. We enter it upon parting this 
life provided we have so lived as to be qualified 
to enter its pure and holy precincts. We may, 
through faith and obedience to God's com- 
mands, get glimpses of its scenery and breathe 
the air wafted to us from its heights while so- 
journing here in this land, and then, if true and 
faithful unto the end, enter its boundaries to 
enjoy its realities throughout eternity. At the 
entrance to the park there are large stone gate- 
ways attended by men employed by the govern- 
ment. Here one wishing to enter and make a 
tour of the park must gain permission before 
he may do so. He is not questioned as to his 
character, occupation or anything of the kind, 
but is simply deprived of his shooting arms and 
allowed to pursue his course. But how dif- 
ferent and how stringent are the qualifications 
for entrance into this other land — the heavenly 
land ! One may not enter except his heart be 



6o 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



cleansed from all sin that his whole life be in 
perfect harmony with that which is within. 
Dear reader, if you would enter the portals of 
heaven and enjoy throughout eternity those 
things that ''eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered into the heart of man," 
forsake sin and follow the Son of God all the 
way. 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 6i 



HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE 



T 



HE NATURAL tendency of all living 
organisms is to degenerate or die. 
We see this evidenced all about us 
in the vegetable kingdom. Through a 
process of cultivation, vegetables in a gar- 
den come to a stage of maturity, pro- 
duce their fruit and die. If neglected they de- 
generate or die before their time. In the west- 
ern states^ where irrigation is necessary to pro- 
duce a crop, a man prepares the ground and 
sows the seed. In due time the tender plants 
shoot up from the earth and attain a height of 
several inches and the prospects for a good 
crop are favorable. The natural moisture of 
the ground and the scant rainfall have been 
sufficient to give the grain a good start. How- 
ever, the time arrives for the irrigation to 
begin. Far up in the mountains, fed by the 
melting snows of the preceding winter, is a 
large reservoir. Canals and ditches adequate 
for conveying the water to the grain field have 
already been made, but for some reason the 
owner of the field neglects to turn on the water. 
The result is, the ground becomes parched un- 



62 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

der the burning rays of the sun, and the once 
flourishing grain dies and no crop is produced. 
Only one thing was responsible, and that was 
the neglect of the farmer to turn on the water. 
To ihustrate again. A garden is planted, say 
with strawberries and roses, and for a number 
of years is left alone. When we visit it in pro- 
cess of time we find that it has run to waste. 
But it is a different process of deterioration 
from that which took place in the failure to 
water the grain. The strawberries and roses 
have not died out, but they have degenerated. 
The strawberries have become small, and the 
once large, fragrant rose has lost its size and 
beauty. 

The same thing takes place in the case of 
man. If he neglects himself he becomes a 
worse man and a lower man. If his body is 
neglected and not exercised he will become 
weak and emaciated. If his mind is neglected, 
it will degenerate. If he neglects his con- 
science he will run off into sin and lawlessness. 
Nothing escapes death and decay that is neg- 
lected. 

So we see some of the great evils that 
come as a result of simple neglect, but the neg- 
lect which brings the most terrible results, is 
the neglect of the soul. Our text says, ''How 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 65 

shall we escape, if we neglect so great salva- 
tion?" The Scriptures do not take the trouble 
to answer the question, for it is too obvious. 
If we neglect the soul with this universal prin- 
ciple staring us in the face, how shall we 
escape? There is no escape. Atrophy, de- 
generation and death are inevitable. Sin 
destroys the soul. There are sins of commis- 
sion and there are sins of omission. But the 
latter class of sins people think little about. 
The popular impression is that a man must be 
an open and notorious sinner in order to be 
lost. That he must be one who has little re- 
gard for the good in life and has given loose 
rein to the evil within him. But this scripture 
settles the question that if a man simply neg- 
lects his soul he will ultimately be lost. If we 
could open the door of pandemonium and ask 
the lost souls how they came to be there the 
great cry would go up, 'T neglected to care for 
my soul when the opportunity was offered." 
Oh, how they would strive to escape torment 
if they were permitted to live on the earth 
again! But it is too late now, and they must 
mourn their fate forever. 

On a certain railroad in the Rocky Moun- 
tains, two large cars heavily loaded with coal 

were left standing at the station of L . For 

5 



66 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

fifty or sixty miles north the track ran down 
grade. Without any assistance from man, 
the cars in some way started down the track, 
and it is needless to say they were soon going at 
a rapid rate and gaining speed every moment. 
The operator, on discovering some little time 
later that they were gone, telegraphed the sta- 
tion fifty miles distant for the man to turn the 
switch and run the cars onto a siding, but he 
got the message just in time to step to the door 
and see the cars dash by. They continued on 
their mad career a few miles farther and 
crashed into an oncoming train, killing the en- 
gineer and fireman and injuring others. What 
caused the trouble? Neglect. The trainman 
that left the cars standing failed to secure the 
brakes properly, and perhaps nothing more 
than a gust of wind, or the vibration caused by 
a passing train was necessary to start them on 
their road to destruction. But they ran their 
course and you see the result. 

Reader, do you know that people are like 
those cars? Every unconverted sinner is on 
the down grade and his speed is increasing 
moment by moment. Before him is destruc- 
tion. He may not go much farther ere the 
terrible crash comes and all hopes of his soul's 
welfare be shattered. It lies within his 



:m 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 69 

power to stop. Had there been a man on the 
cars he conld have set the brakes and brought 
them to a standstill, but some other powerful 
agenc}^ would have been necessary to take them 
back up the grade. Just so can a man put the 
brakes on his evil life and stop his downward 
trend, but that unseen power imparted by the 
Son of God must be utilized for him to make 
the great ascent from earth to heaven. Which 
way are you traveling? 

The natural man has a bias toward sin, and 
like that mysterious force called gravitation, it 
pulls downward. By another force, that of 
attraction, he may be drawn upward if he sub- 
mits himself to the will of God. But he who neg- 
lects, how shall he escape? If a man falls into 
the sea he is most likely to drown if he has neg- 
lected to learn to swim. Again, if a man has 
swallowed poison he has but to neglect taking 
the antedote and he will die. So man is poi- 
soned by sin. In this "great salvation" God has 
provided a remedy for all his ailments, both 
physical and spiritual. He does not have to 
blaspheme the name of God or denounce Chris- 
tianity publicly, or be a great sinner in order to 
be lost, but simply neglect to make use of the 
remedy. You may just go on as you have been 
going from day to day and from week to week. 



70 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

continue to attend church services, if you 
please, dress Hke the world and talk like the 
world, and if you do not some day find yourself 
in the confines of the eternally lost, then our 
text means nothing. But it is the word of 
God. ESCAPE! Why you had as well be- 
lieve a man would escape death who refuses to 
breathe or feed his body as for him to escape 
hell if he neglcts salvation. 

Some of you have been neglecting for a 
long time. You realize your lost condition, 
your downward trend, but you have not 
stopped. In the distance you see trouble and 
despair. You are fearful of the future. There 
are times when you feel resolved to stop short 
and go to seeking God, but still you neglect. 
You are neglecting to confess your sins, you 
are neglecting to make wrongs right, you are 
neglecting to go to the altar and put yourself 
on record as a seeker after God. For the sake 
of your immortal soul and for the sake of 
friends and loved ones, and for Jesus' sake set- 
tle this question before it is forever too late. 
But I hear some of you say, "Some other day," 
"There is plenty of time," etc. To-day is the 
day, neglect it and you may never have an- 
other. Those who are now in the lost world 
would want but a moment to decide this 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



71 



question. How eagerly they would accept the 
first opportunity to get salvation, but they neg- 
lected their souls when on earth and how shall 
you escape their fate ? 




7i FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

THE WESTERN BRONCO 



THERE is no place where the horse seems 
more at home than on the range of the 
Rocky Mountain states. Our picture 
shows a small band of horses in their semi-wild 
state in southern Montana. Here among the 
rolling foothills, feeding upon the succulent 
buffalo or bunch grass, they become strong, 
fleet-footed and exceedingly active, insomuch 
that it is sometimes difficult for man to bring 
them under control. Even in the winter time 
when the blizzards are raging and the snows 
are piling up, they make a good living without 
the assistance of man, and seem to fear noth- 
ing, except it be the "horse-wrangler," who 
may at any time ride up, inspect their brand, 
give a few piercing yells and start them off on 
a fifteen or twenty-mile run to the corral. 

Of course in the more rugged districts and 
farther back in the mountains, the process of 
corralling horses is somewhat different. Here 
they become more afraid of man, and to ap- 
proach within distance to get a picture like the 
one following would be exceedingly difficult 
and would require much strategy.' However^ 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 73 

with the different methods of capturing the 
wild horse, few of them escape the corral or 
the lariat. There are many sections of coun- 
try where these horses are so fearful of man 
that to approach within less than a mile of them 
is difficult, except it be to come upon them una- 
wares from behind a hill. Therefore to have 
any success corralling them it is necessary to 
have from six to ten well-mounted and expe- 
rienced horsemen who encircle the section of 
country frequented by several bands, which 
may consist of eight to twenty head each. 

By the time the riders have reached the 
limit of their circle, some of the horses here 
and there on the mountains have espied them, 
and either stand watching, as if contemplating 
w^hich direction to run, or else they have al- 
ready made a break for the high and more dis- 
tant mountains. And it is needless to say that 
in most every round-up of this kind, some of 
the bands led by some particular wily and fleet- 
footed stallion, make good their escape. Those 
remaining in the circle are closed in upon by 
the riders and started towards the corral, and 
by the time the valley or flat is reached, the 
different bands have come together, and a sin- 
gle band of 150 to 300 head, and under good 
control, is the result. 



74 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

But all this is much easier and quicker 
told than done. However, there is no greater 
excitement, or work more fascinating to the 
young westerner than that of corralling the 
wild horse. It requires endurance, fearless- 
ness and horsemanship, and great danger is 
often involved, but we have seen few cowboys 
and horse-wranglers who were not always 
ready to join a horse round-up. 

From the time the saddle band is driven 
in from the field in the morning and each rider 
has selected his mount for the day, there is 
"something doin'." Some of the saddle horses 
have perhaps been used but little, and were 
themselves a short time previous, running 
wild over the plains, and they have to be las- 
soed, and maybe have one foot tied up or other 
advantages taken, in order to get the saddle 
on them. And when mounted, the chances are 
many for them to go bucking, rearing and 
plunging across the prairie, while one or two 
inexperienced riders may be seen to pick them- 
selves up from the ground, have their horses 
re-caught and another attempt made. But it 
is not long until the riders in small groups of 
two or four may be seen making their way to- 
ward the tops of the high ridges some ten or 
fifteen miles away. Their mounts are spared 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN "jy 

as much as possible going out and are not rid- 
den out of a walk, but when the point of closing 
in upon the wild horses is reached, all is sud- 
denly changed. The men no longer ride side 
by side, but separate and dash off in different 
directions, each bent on gaining control of some 
fleeing band. Some of the older horses that 
acted sleepy and worn out coming up the hill 
and needed urging and spurring then, act dif- 
ferent now. The same spirit that possesses 
their riders, seems to animate every fiber of 
their being, and with champing bit and wide 
extended nostrils they eagerly join the chase. 
On they go, up hill and down hill, over stones 
and sage brush, stopping for nothing, but here 
and there swerving to one side to avoid a 
badger hole, the extreme dread of both horse 
and rider. 

Occasionally the sharp crack of a six- 
shooter may be heard and the dust is seen to 
rise just in front of some fleeing band that 
seems bent on getting away. This is done to 
check them and turn their course when the 
rider finds himself at a disadvantage in head- 
ing them. It sometimes happens that the fleeing 
horses are on the opposite side of a deep ravine 
from the rider and are about to reach some 
point of advantage along a regular trail that 



78 • FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

has served them in making their escape many- 
times before. On some occasions the escap- 
ing horses refuse to turn and will almost run 
over a rider, and when once past him and on 
the hill above, they are usually free, so far as 
that day's round-up is concerned. Here is 
where the patience of the horse-wrangler is 
tried, and if the horse leading the escaping 
band should be one that is especially noted for 
his bold dashes for liberty, no matter how fine 
a horse he may be or whose brand he carries, 
he stands an excellent chance of having his 
hide pierced with a ball from a six-shooter, 
if he should happen to be dealing with one who 
has Httle regard for the life of a beast. 

But at last the ride is finished and the gate 
of the strong, high corral closes behind the 
horses, who go circling around if perchance 
they might find a weak place that offers a way 
to liberty. On the outside stand the brave lit- 
tle saddle horses, with heaving sides and coats 
white with foam. On the fence are the riders 
talking over the day's ride and examining the 
horses within. Next, a fire is kindled in which 
are placed the branding irons and the process 
of branding begins. The young colt is ''spot- 
ted" by the side of its mother, lassoed and 
thrown and the hot iron is applied to its thigh 




COWBOY IN CORRAL 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 8i 

or shoulder, and a mark is left that it carries 
to the end of life. The horses desired for 
breaking or to be sold are lassoed and tied up, 
or separated into another enclosure, and the 
main band is again set at liberty. 

But the treatment the colts and others of 
the band receive in the corral they never for- 
get and learn to dread the contact with man 
and his cruel lariat and hot iron until they are 
eventually broken and conquered and have be- 
come gentle and obedient. 

When rightly handled the wildest and 
most vicious of these horses of the plains be- 
come most gentle and useful, and for carrying 
a man day after day, or drawing vehicles, they 
are unexcelled. Yet there is found an oc- 
casional one that it seems impossible to rid of 
his bucking proclivities and such an one- is 
either turned loose to roam the range at will or 
is kept about the ranch for the boys to practice 
on. The appellation "outlaw" is given him, 
and from henceforth he is regarded with sus- 
picion. Perhaps every possible means has 
been employed to tame him and many different 
''bronco busters" have tried their methods on 
him, but all to no avail. With each attempt 
he probably becomes worse. While such a 
horse may not be able to unseat his rider, his 

6 



82 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

riders also fail to take all the meanness out of 
him and have to give it up. It is often the 
case that such a horse will allow himself to be 
saddled and mounted with little difficulty and 
may carry his rider for many miles over the 
hills without showing a bad spirit, but sud- 
denly, and on some steep hillside, the spirit of 
the evil one seems to possess him, and away he 
goes, bucking and plunging down the hill, and 
the rider who found it easy to retain his seat 
while he was bucking on the level ground, now 
finds that he has to "ride some" if he is so 
fortunate as to "stay" at all. 

How well does a horse of this nature re- 
minds us of people we meet. There are those 
who cannot be tamed, so to speak, and brought 
into subjection to the will of God. They re- 
fuse to have the wild, or carnal nature eradi- 
cated, and they becpme "outlaws," and are a 
curse to humanity instead of being a blessing. 
Yet they were not always so. That coarse, 
rough-featured man you see yonder, rushing 
into sin and giving loose rein to evil passions, 
was once an innocent little boy with flaxen 
curls and unclouded brow, playing about his 
mother's knee, and could be guided whitherso- 
ever she willed. But time went on, young 
manhood was reached, liberties were taken, 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 83 

and soon the restraining hand of mother or 
father was no longer felt. Conscience, too, 
was silenced, and the result is a wild and reck- 
less man, doting over what he calls liberty. 

But the father-heart of God is touched at 
such a sad picture and He sends His messen- 
gers out over the world to bring the wander- 
ers into His fold. Many are rounded up, as 
it w^ere, and brought into the congregation of 
the righteous and the Holy Spirit begins to 
work on them. God is merciful and of great 
kindness. He whispers softly to the youth: 
''Son give me thine heart.'' H the voice is 
obeyed, the young man is instructed and be- 
comes trained in the Christian warfare and 
goes out as a messenger to wandering ones. 
But if he resists and refuses to be subdued, 
like the ''outlaw" bronco on the western plains, 
he becomes a mere cumberer of the ground, 
and will sooner or later take the final leap over 
the terrible precipice. How numerous are 
such characters in the land to-day. Many of 
them in religious circles, too, and associated 
with God's true people. They run well for 
a time and manifest no ill spirit, but suddenly 
they take matters in their own hands, throw off 
all restraint and fly off on a tangent some- 
where, vainly hoping to retain God's favor 



84 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

and blessing, but their sad end will be manifest 
to all, except they become obedient to the will 
of God. 

There is another peculiar thing about 
these ''outlaw" horses. They are often al- 
lowed to run with a regular saddle band, and 
having been ridden some and become saddle- 
marked, they have all the appearance of being 
regular saddle horses, and one is sometimes 
saddled and mounted by mistake by some one 
who may not be able to ride well. The result 
of course is a fall and possibly an injury. So 
it is with the rebellious or disobedient person. 
Though having failed to measure up to God's 
requirements, he goes on with an empty pro- 
fession and his forms of religion, and many 
honest, though unwary souls are deceived 
thereby. "The heart is deceitful above all 
things, and desperately wicked: who can 
know it?" People mount the wild horse, as it 
were, who carries them along very pleasantly 
for a time, but little do they realize their 
danger. They are destined to be carried down 
the steep incline where the jagged rocks of 
heresies and devil-delusions await to receive 
them. Thus maimed and crippled, they go 
through life. Living, yet dead. Dead to the 
voice of God, to the entreaties of friends and 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 87 

loved ones, and to all reason. "Wandering 
stars" are they, visited by strange hallucina- 
tions and peculiar visions, and ''to whom is re- 
served the blackness of darkness forever." 
Backsliders from God, ''raging waves of the 
sea, foaming out their own shame." Oh, the 
terrible examples of rebellion and disobedience 
there are on every hand to-day! 

"Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and 
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Be- 
cause thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, 
he hath also rejected thee." Because of Saul's 
rebellion, disobedience and stubbornness, God 
rejected him. His wild and self-chosen course 
eventually led him to seek aid from one who 
had a "familiar spirit," a thing he himself had 
previously denounced, and he had caused to be 
put to death those who practiced witchcraft. 
Thus did he, through rebellion and disobedi- 
ence, still the voice of God to his soul. But 
his religious nature still craved some manifes- 
tation of the supernatural. He could not be 
satisfied without some token from the unseen 
world, and since God had ceased to talk to him, 
the spirits from the under world began to oper- 
ate. The account of his ignominious death is 
familiar to all. 

Instance after instance could be cited in 



88 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



the Bible of where people disobeyed God, and 
stubbornness and rebellion became the ruling 
principle in their lives, and they suffered terri- 
ble consequences. These sad reflections are 
warnings to us lest we take a similar course. 
With God's face turned away and His voice no 
longer heard, the lives of those who have failed 
to become submissive in His hands, go out in 
darkness and despair. Reader, look well to 
thy course lest thou too be found among the 
fallen at that last great day of reckoning. 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 89 

TRAINING FOR SERVICE 



IN our last chapter we gave a description of 
a horse round-up on the Western plains, 
the process of handling them, etc., and 
dealt especially with the "outlaw," or the horse 
that never becomes completely subdued. In this 
chapter we also have something to say of west- 
ern horses, but rather with those that are 
trained for special work. However, we hope 
to impress upon our readers some important 
spiritual lessons, otherwise we would use our 
time and this space to some other purpose. 

The team of six" in our illustration 
drawing the stage-coach, once roamed at will 
the range, galloping over the highest moun- 
tains, defying the fleet-footed pony, and his 
rider with his cruel lariat. They did not range 
together, however, but one in this band and an- 
other in that, and in different sections of the 
country, and bore brands of various owners. 
But at last their day comes and they fall vic- 
tims to the round-up and are brought in from 
their coveted haunts and put through the pro- 
cess of breaking. 

The horse desired for breaking is usually 



90 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

separated from all others into an enclosure by 
himself. A man enters the enclosure with a 
lariat, at sight of which the frightened horse 
goes circling round the corral. This very act 
insures his speed}^ capture, for out shoots the 
lariat, the noose encircles his fore feet, a quick 
jerk is given and he falls heavily upon his side 
where he is held until a ''hackamore,'' or 
halter, is put on him. The foot rope is then 
removed and he is on his feet almost instantly. 
Thinking he is again free, he makes a bold 
dash across the corral, but is brought to a 
sudden stop by the strong halter rope, a few 
turns of which have been taken around a sub^ 
stantial post. After a few^ unsuccessful at- 
tempts to break away, and with his neck made 
stiff by the sudden jerks it -has received, he 
soon learns that it is better to yield and be led 
about than it is to resist. Would that men in 
God's school of discipline would act as wisely 
when chastened for their resistance, as do 
some of these wild horses. 

In training men for His service, the Lord 
throws out His lasso of truth and would gently 
draw them to himself, but many pull back and 
''kick against the pricks," and if they are 
brought in subjection at all the most strenuous 
means often have to be resorted to. Saul of 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 93 

Tarsus, the proud and learned Pharisee and 
persecutor of the Christians, at last saw the 
folly of pulling against God's Spirit, but it was 
not until he had been stricken to the earth with 
an exceeding great light from heaven that he 
realized what he was doing. Saul was a Jew 
and full of prejudice toward the Christ of Cal- 
vary and His humble followers, and it was 
necessary that extraordinary means be em- 
ployed to convince him of the truth. But in 
this enlightened age men do not need to wait 
for such manifestations to reveal the fact that 
they are pulling against God's Spirit, yet mul- 
titudes plunge blindly on in their self-chosen 
courses in the glare of all the light that shines 
from the sacred page and the lives of holy men 
and women down the ages. Saul at last had 
his wild and reckless nature subdued and be- 
came one of God's most obedient servants, and 
no other preacher since has been such a bless- 
ing to the world as he. 

But to return to our bronco. If we would 
fit him to be one of a team to draw U. S. mail, 
and passengers, including irritable women and 
helpless children, over the Rockies and along 
roads that overlook precipitous bluffs and 
deep, yawning canons, we must first take him 
through a careful course of training and find 



94 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

out whether he is sufficient for such work. 
From the corral he is led or forced into 
the barn and placed in a narrow box stall. 
Perhaps this is enough for his first day's train- 
ing and he is left for the morrow, when he is 
introduced to a set of harness. Though he 
jumps and snorts and kicks, the buckles and 
straps are made secure. He is then tied along- 
side of a good, gentle work horse and led 
forth to the heavy farm wagon, to which he 
is gently, though often with difficulty, hitched. 
When this is accomplished the men take their 
places in the high spring seat. And expe- 
rienced drivers they must be, too. Men who 
have had no experience with broncos would 
better stand aloof for a while and see how they 
perform. Before us is the road leading out 
onto the wide, open prairie. A word is spoken 
or a slight touch is given the gentle horse and 
everything is on the move. The bronco rears, 
plunges and starts across the country at a 
speed that would leave a city fire wagon an- 
swering a hurry-up call in the distance. The 
driver calmly retains his seat, his main object 
for the present being to steer clear of danger- 
ous places, such as ravines and ditches, and 
not caring so much as to how fast he goes. 
Meanwhile, of course, he is pulling on the lines, 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 97 

which, however, has httle effect upon the 
bronco only as the g-entle horse yields and 
steers the wagon aright by pulling or pushing 
against the bronco as the case may be. A few 
miles and return is considered enough for the 
first time and the bronco is again put in his 
stall, but the bit in his mouth has done its 
work in spite of his running and jumping and 
the next time he is driven he is more careful 
how he goes against it. If he is an average 
horse in point of obedience and aptness for 
learning, and has shown no particularly bad or 
stubborn traits, after several drives such as 
the above, he may be considered safe to hitch 
to a hay wagon or mowing machine, and when 
the large hay crop is harvested he is a much 
changed horse from the one brought in from 
the range a few weeks before. After a good, 
long course of general farm and road work, 
and by careful handling, the stage operator 
may see fit to purchase him. For use in the 
heavy freight team a horse need not be so well 
broken to start with. Here he may try as he 
may and there will be little fear of his doing 
any damage by his attempts to run away, since 
the load behind him may consist of many tons 
of ore or heavy machinery. 

Just as these wild horses are taken 
7 



98 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

through various processes and put to different 
kinds of work before they can be trusted to 
draw the pleasure carriage or stage coach, so 
must he whom God wishes to use for a special 
work submit himself to a rigid discipline and 
be thoroughly proved before he can be trusted 
to fill a place of responsibility in His vineyard. 
Experience has taught the westerner that it 
would not do to take one of these horses right 
off the range and hitch him to a light carriage. 
It would not be worth much after a few miles 
run over stones and through sage brush. The 
apostles were taken from their fishing nets 
and followed close in the steps of Jesus for 
three years before He left them with the re- 
sponsibility of preaching the Gospel to all the 
world. The effect of their lives upon the 
whole world is proof of the training they re- 
ceived. God has His school to-day for turn- 
ing out disciples and it may not necessarily 
be a modern college or school of oratory, but 
it is a school of obedience, faith and heart-felt 
experience. 

But of all the traits or instincts that are 
common to the horse of the plains there is one 
that stands out preeminently above all the rest. 
And that is his ever-present longing or home- 
sickness for the place of his birth and the 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 99 

haunts where he spent his early years of free- 
dom. Though he may be kept on the ranch 
for years and run in the finest meadow, or be 
kept in the barn and fed on the choicest grain 
and receive the best of treatment, he has but to 
see the open gate or the weak place in the fence 
and he is gone to the far distant mountains 
to feed upon the sweet grass that grows there 
and to drink of the cool waters that come roll- 
ing down the canon. Miles and miles will 
these horses travel when they break away from 
the herd in the night-time or escape from the 
field in which they are kept, that they might re- 
turn to their native haunts. If their owner 
knows where they had previously ranged he 
goes at once to that locality and he is not long 
in finding them. Men, too, experience a sim- 
ilar homesickness. Those who have spent 
years on the plains following the herds and 
have then gone to the city in the East to live 
have this feeling come over them at times until 
they almost abhor the noise and bustle of city 
life and would gladly flee to the plains. Es- 
pecially is this feeling most irresistible in the 
springtime when the lowing of the cattle may 
be heard as they follow the trail and nibble 
here and there at the tender grass shooting 
forth. 



loo FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

But we want to speak to our readers about 
another homesickness which no doubt many of 
you have experienced. And that is a home- 
sickness for God. The prodigal son had this 
homesickness, when in the swine pens his mind 
reverted to former scenes and he recalled the 
happy years spent in that home of plenty. 
Such an intense desire came over him that he 
immediately arose and tramped the long dis- 
tance over the dusty road to his father's house, 
and he was received gladly. You who are a 
backslider from God can recall the haj^py days 
and months spent in fellowship with the Lord 
and His children — when you were led in green 
pastures and beside still waters in the land of 
freedom. How you long for those happy 
days to come again, that the heavenly Father's 
love may once more be lavished upon you and 
you receive the kiss of pardon. Ah, but you 
are bound ! Like the horse encased in his har- 
ness and held with the bit, you arc bound by 
the chains of sin and the enemy has a hedge 
about you to hold you in his service. But 
thank God, you may be free, ^'ou may again 
return to your Father's house and join in the 
music and dancing. But it will take a strenu- 
ous effort on your part. There may be con- 
fessions to make and wrongs to set right which 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



lOI 



will require all the courage you can summon, 
but God will meet you half way and receive 
you to himself, and you will again rejoice in 
the liberty of the children of God. But bear 
in mind reader, that no matter how intense the 
desire for God and heavenly things may be, 
your soul will remain unsatisfied if you refuse 
to surrender your will to the Lord and fail to 
walk in His law. "If the Son therefore shall 
make you free, ye shall be free indeed.'' 




102 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



ENDURANCE 



ENDURANCE IS ONE of the most neces- 
sary elements of the Christian charac- 
ter. To endure unto the end means to 
be eternally saved. Though a man do exploits 
and perform many deeds of righteousness, if he 
fails in the critical moment and does not endure 
unto the end he will be eternally lost. 

In the physical man, strength is deter- 
mined by what he can endure and not by any 
feat he may be able to perform. He may be 
able to run swiftly, or to execute many of the 
exercises in the art of calisthenics in a graceful 
and dexterous manner, but unless he keeps up 
those movements of the body that are calcu- 
lated to produce muscle and hardness, he will 
remain a weakling and will utterly fail in his 
efforts to become strong. Such an one may 
not hope to bear off the laurels in an endurance 
race, or to make a living w^here he would be 
compelled to handle a pick and shovel from 
eight to ten hours a day. 

In the parable of the sower we have four 
classes of people represented. In the first in- 
stance the people allowed Satan to come im- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 103 

mediately and take away the word that was 
sown in their hearts The second class of hear- 
ers were those who received the word immedi- 
ately and with gladness of heart, but having no 
root within themselves, they endured but for 
a time. When persecution and affliction came 
they were offended and gave up the struggle. 

Then there was the class represented by 
the seed that was sown among thorns. They 
too, heard the word, but ''the cares of this 
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the 
lusts of other things entering in, choke the 
word," and their destiny is sealed. 

How strikingly is the truth of this parable 
of the sower illustrated in the religious world 
to-day! In fact, in all ages there have been 
those who started well, ran swiftly for a time, 
were a blessing in the world, but like the stony 
and thorny-ground hearers, they endured but 
a short time, took a side-track,— one that was 
a little easier, — drifted with the world and lost 
their souls. Nevertheless, some fell on good 
ground and brought forth fruit abundantly, 
and just as truly will there be a few in this day 
and age of the world who will hear the word 
and bring forth fruit unto righteousness and 
inherit eternal life. To all but make the goal 
is sad indeed. 



I04 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

Considering material things, the cowboys 
and cow-horses of the western plains furnish 
us with some excellent examples of endurance. 
The cowboy, seated on his wiry little steed, 
seems to be a permanent fixture so far as the 
cattle industry of the West is concerned. Nei- 
ther he nor his mount seem ever to tire of their 
occupation. 

Perhaps it is early winter and the large 
herds of cattle as yet have not been brought in 
from their summer range. There are thou- 
sands of them and they must be rounded up, 
separated and taken to different ranches and 
fields. To accompHsh this requires men who 
have been hardened at this kind of work. 
Stenographers, bookkeepers and professional 
men would fail here. Men who have been 
brought up as hot-house plants would shrink 
from the blizzards and extreme cold to which 
the plains of the northwest are subject, nor 
would their untrained bodies with their flabby 
muscles and wrecked nerves find a happy re- 
pose on the back of one of these lively, shying 
broncos. In short many of the cattle would 
perish out on the cold, snowy mountains were 
there no experienced men on hand to seek them 
out and bring them in. 

Look at the horse! Ofttimes ungainly in 




WESTERN STOCK SADDLE 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 107 

appearance, but full of grit and animation and 
capable of carrying his rider through deep 
snow and up and down hill all day without be- 
coming exhausted. While he does not pos- 
sess the beauty and symmetry of form that the 
Kentucky thoroughbred possesses, the cease- 
less toil and rough usage that he endures would 
put the Kentucky horse out of business in a 
short time. 

However, it is not everybody in the West 
who dresses himself in cowboy regalia, and 
mounts a horse, who is a real cowboy. In 
Montana we have what are called "sunshine 
riders,'' These are young men who as yet 
have not become regular riders — novices at 
the business. Perhaps it is some one who has 
not been out from the East long, or whose oc- 
cupation has been confined to farming or some- 
thing else. He sees the cowboys riding the 
broncos and throwing the lasso, and a desire 
seizes him to do likewise. So when the op- 
portunity is offered, he selects a fine-looking, 
high-spirited horse, but one which he has 
pretty good evidence will not buck. Clad in 
chaps and spurs, and probably a six-shooter at 
his belt, his main ambition is to present a strik- 
ing appearance. He rides along admiring 
himself, and if it is a bright, sunshiny day, he 



]0<S FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

spurs his horse up and casts occasional glances 
at his shadow, hence the appellation, "sunshine 
rider." At this stage of his experience he is 
of little use as a ''cow-puncher ;"he is more or- 
namental than useful, and the experienced men 
have to do all the work. However, if he keeps 
at the business and endures the ridicule heaped 
upon him by the other riders, he will in time 
become capable of doing real service as a cow- 
boy. 

How well does such a one portray the 
character of the multitudes of professing 
Christians! Prominent in religious circles, 
but as true soldiers of the cross they are fear- 
fully lacking in that rugged nature and the 
characteristics that go to make up a true fol- 
lower of Christ. They have a form of religion, 
but no power, no love for souls, in fact there 
is nothing about them that would characterize 
them as having been with Jesus. Sad will be 
their fate except they repent, throw away their 
cloak of profession and church membership 
and become a true worker for the Lord. 




CHAPAREJOS 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN m 

WATERS OF LIFE 



HE SENDETH THE SPRINGS into the 
valleys, which run among the hills. 
They give drink to every beast 
of the field: the wild asses quench their 
thirsf' (Psa. 104:10-11). Of the many 
elements taken into the human body, few 
are as important in sustaining life and 
maintaining health as the water we drink. If 
good, pure water is not obtained, sickness, 
disease and death are the inevitable results. In 
our cities and towns the authorities take it 
upon themselves to procure the best water pos- 
sible for domestic purposes, yet the best ob- 
tained in many instances, is very poor. Often 
it is piped from the polluted river running near 
by, and though it is taken through a process of 
filtering, it is void of that pure, sweet taste that 
characterizes good spring water, and in drink- 
ing it one gets a taste that is associated in his 
mind with sloughs, frog-ponds and muddy 
streams. 

There are elegant fountains erected which 
produce a display of spouting water, and there 
are polished faucets from which you may 



112 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

draw, but the water which flows from them is 
the same as that which comes from the rusty 
old hydrant along the gutter that is used for 
putting out fires and cleaning and sprinkling 
streets. In order to obtain pure water we 
must go to a good well or spring. The diffi- 
culty is people live too far away from the foun- 
tain-head. Up in the mountains where large 
rivers have their sources, the water is pure, 
but as the stream leaves the mountains and 
flows out through the lowlands, it brushes 
against towns and cities along the way and 
picks up refuse of almost every description, un- 
til death and disease float upon its bosom. Yet 
people must have water, and this is what many 
of them are compelled to drink from year to 
year. Even in the rural districts where one 
might expect to obtain good water the wells 
are often shallow and germs of malaria and 
typhoid lurk within their contents. 

Our picture illustrates a cowboy drinking 
from a spring in the Rocky Mountains. Here 
one may be sure of getting pure water. As one 
rides along the foothills in the summer's sun 
he is often compelled to halt at one of the 
numerous springs and quench his thirst. Some 
of these springs, in general appearance, are not 
the most tempting places to drink, for cattle 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 113 

and wild horses have been there tramp- 
ing around, and the fastidious one would 
doubtless pass them by, but nevertheless one is 
assured a cool, pure drink if he but prostrates 
himself upon the ground and brings his mouth 
in contact with the sparkling fluid as it bub- 
bles and pushes its way up through the gravel. 
No malaria or other impurities here. Noth- 
ing but cool, pure, sparkling water. What a 
blessing to the thirsty traveler ! Down in the 
valley below him flows the rushing stream that 
has its source in the high altitudes, but as it 
flows through the fields its waters are rendered 
brackish by the surface waters pouring into 
them from irrigating ditches. So we see how 
necessary it is to go to the spring or near the 
source of the stream to get pure water. 

Two cowboys were riding across the 
plains. It was midsummer, and the fierce rays 
of the sun, together with the rising alkali dust 
had brought extreme thirst to the riders as 
well as their horses. They were becoming 
faint, and when it seemed that they could hold 
out no longer, they came to a small stream, 
whose waters were cool, and clear as crystal. 
Though flowing through a dry country, it had 
its source far up in the shadowy mountains, 
and was fed by the melting snows of the pre- 

8 



114 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

ceding winter. Here the boys dismounted, and 
after the manner of cowboys, they lay down 
and drank to their fill. Thus refreshed, they 
pursued their journey across the desert land, 
having for their objective point a distant ranch 
house which they hoped to reach by nightfall, 
where they would rest from the toil and heat 
of the day. 

So the thirsty soul, having tried in vain 
to slake his thirst for happiness at the foun- 
tains of earth, gets a draught from the heavenly 
stream. It puts life and animation into him, 
he starts out across the desert world to make 
the heavenly goal. Trials and discourage- 
ments beset him on every side, and it seems 
at times that he cannot hold out longer, but 
by and by he gets another drink from the 
waters of salvation, by way of a blessing or 
some token of God's favor, which enables him 
to pursue his journey. One must continually 
seek refreshment from this heavenly stream or 
succumb to the blighting influences of a sin- 
cursed world. Unlike the streams of this 
world, it is not effected by the heat and cold, 
but flows constantly on, turning barrenness 
and drought into life and activity, and dispell- 
ing doubt and fear and giving comfort and 
happiness in their stead. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 117 

''Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any 
man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." 
This great stream of salvation has been flow- 
ing down through the centuries, and multitudes 
have slaked their thirst therein, and it flows on 
still. It is just as pure, just as life-giving as 
when the prophets of old drank and obtained 
life eternal. It never runs dry. Jesus Christ 
is its source. He is the fountain-head. He 
says, ''Come unto me and drink, and never 
thirst again." There are other waters that 
one may drink from, but they do not satisfy. 
The fountains of this world produce sickness, 
disease and death to the soul, but he who drinks 
of the water that Christ shall give him shall 
live throughout eternity. Yet how few are 
drinking from this fountain! It is a humble 
place. Like the publican, one must prostrate 
oneself before the Son of God in order to par- 
take of these waters. But they give life — life 
more abundant here and in the end eternal 
life. Having once drunk of this exhilarating 
stream there will be no thirsting for the pol- 
luted streams of the world. 

There are also springs in the valleys of 
Montana and other western states whose 
waters are strongly alkaline. The waters are 
cool, look pure and good, but they do not sat- 



ii8 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

isfy. Often the more one drinks of them the 
more thirsty he becomes, and by excessive 
drinking becomes sick. We have heard of a 
well or spring in the desert whose waters are 
poisonous. Think of a person's having trav- 
eled many miles, weary and thirsty, to come 
upon what appears to be a good spring of 
water, and drink of it only to lie down and die. 
The remains of other travelers and beasts were 
not sufficient to warn him — he must taste for 
himself. 

Multitudes are drinking from the ciips of 
pleasure and the streams of earth. They hope 
to gain satisfaction and life, but death is their 
doom. The dead and dying are lying on every 
side as silent warnings to partake not, but so 
great is their desire for something to satisfy 
their thirst, that they take no heed and drink 
to the dregs the cup of the world which brings 
death and destruction. 

Reader, if you would escape death and 
have eternal life begin in you, go to Christ, the 
true fountain, prostrate yourself before Him 
confessing your sins, and He will give you to 
drink of the waters that spring up in the soul 
and produce joy and gladness which need never 
cease so long as you obey His voice. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 119 

THE MOUNTAIN LILY 



FLOWERS are one of God's great tokens 
of love to humanity. How their fra- 
grance and beauty have cheered and 
brightened the lives of the sick and disheart- 
ened down the ages! Then, too, they furnish 
us with many fitting illustrations of God's deal- 
ings with mankind in His pkuis to exalt him to 
a high position. The pretty pond lily, having 
its start down in the black mud of the pond, 
pushes its way above its gloomy surroundings 
out into the air and sunlight, and presents to 
us its beautiful flower. So a man, though a 
sinner and living in the mire of this world, 
may have the divine life imparted to him and 
rise above his old haunts and stand out be- 
fore the world pure and clean through the 
blood of Christ. 

In the Rocky Mountains, unaided by the 
achievements of modern horticulture, there 
grows a little flower, which for pure whiteness 
and exquisite fragrance, cannot be excelled. 
It is commonly known as the mountain lily. 
As the rainfall is scant in those parts, it draws 
its moisture mainly from the dews of heaven, 



I20 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

and unfolds to the world its four, heart-shaped 
petals in the darkness of the night. Its beauty 
and fragrance last but for a few brief 
hours in the beginning of the day, it then 
turns red and withers away before the morn- 
ing sun. 

The mountain lily may not be induced to 
grow in the cultivated and well-kept gardens 
of the city, but here hidden away in the desert 
place and among the rocks, it thrives. Were 
you to transplant it and try to make it bloom 
in your garden, it would fade away and die. 
Near it may be found growing the cactus and 
the uncomely and unsavory sage-brush, but un- 
hampered by surroundings, it blooms on, show- 
ing the wonderful handiwork of Him who 
created it. 

How well does this flower remind us of 
some of God's children who live and toil away 
in some secluded place, yet who are contin- 
ually cheering the lives of those around them 
and sending forth sweet incense to God who 
thus causes them to live and be a blessing. 
Though living in a sin-cursed world and sur- 
rounded by those whose lives are dark and un- 
savory, they remain pure and spotless, con- 
tinually showing forth God's wonderful cleans- 
ing and keeping power. H we would seek to 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 123 

find the highest types of manhood and woman- 
hood, we may not hope to discover them among 
the cultured and eHte of the society and church 
Hfe of the present day. If we would find true 
Christian character we would better go to the 
more humble walks of hfe where the trials and 
testings of a hfe of faith in God are develop- 
ing the graces of the Spirit in some one whose 
heart has been cleansed by the blood. 

We may go to society and the modern 
churches to look upon beautiful and richly at- 
tired women and to find those who are cultured 
and polished in manners, but this is all out- 
ward adornment and superficial; it is easily 
distinguished from the manners and bearing 
that characterize a true child of God. 

Owing to its shortness of life and its na- 
ture of growing in rocky and secluded places 
the mountain lily is seldom seen by human 
eyes, yet it blooms on in praise and glory to 
Him who is the Creator of flowers and aU that 
is good. 

He who would have true character per- 
fected in him is not seen much among the 
masses, nevertheless he may come forth in due 
time as did Jesus Christ and John the Baptist, 
to manifest the power of God to a darkened 
world, but hke them he may have his hfe 



124 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

brought to a close by fierce persecutions. 
The quickest way to cause a child of God 
to wither and die spiritually, is to surround 
him with such environments as the world and 
modern Christianity think conducive to his 
growth in grace. Adverse winds and testings 
of faith are necessary to bring out the 
best that is in us, and to shrink from the rug- 
ged way and follow the way that offers the 
least resistance, means to become weak and 
un-Christlike. May God help us to contin- 
ually abide in an atmosphere that is helpful 
to the development of the Christian graces. 



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MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 125 

FISHING 



WITH MANY, fishing is a very delight- 
ful pastime; it is also a profitable busi- 
ness when carried on extensively as it 
is in some of the large rivers and lakes and 
along the sea coast. 

As there are many different kinds of fish, 
having different habits and subsisting upon 
different kinds of food, it follows that there 
are many methods employed in catching them. 
Then, too, men are different; some like one 
kind of fishing and some another. Some men 
will sit on the banks of a stream all day long 
and feel amply repaid for their day's work 
if they catch four or five bass, while others 
must have their large nets and strong lines and 
hooks and go out into the great waters of the 
sea and reckon their success by landing hun- 
dreds of pounds. 

When the writer used to engage in fishing 
his ecstacy was quite complete if he could visit 
one of those small Rocky Mountain streams 
that go tumbling down over granite boulders, 
and whose banks are lined with willows that 
furnished a good hiding place from the wily 



126 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

speckled trout that dart here and there in the 
cool, sparkling waters. With a small willow 
rod, a line and a hook, the shining beauties were 
soon flopping on the bank in sufficient numbers 
to insure a good meal for the whole household, 
even though it might consist of a number of 
hungry cowboys. The inexperienced city chap 
comes out with his various kinds of hooks, arti- 
ficial flies, expensive rod, reels, lines, etc., 
walks up and down the stream in full view of 
the fish, who become frightened and seek a re- 
treat in some darkened spot. He goes back 
home again and wonders why he has not been 
successful. 

One of the secrets of catching trout in 
these clear, shallow streams, is for the angler 
to keep himself out of sight in casting his hook. 
It takes some time for the beginner to learn 
this, but when once learned, he has but to cast 
his hook upon the waters and a hungry trout 
is after it, sometimes leaping out of the water 
several inches in his eagerness to secure the 
bait. 

What a good lesson may be learned by 
those who would be fishers of men — those who 
would really catch them on the Gospel hook 
that they may be landed on the eternal shores, 
where they will be safe forevermore. If we 




THAT GO TUMBLING OVER GRANITE B0ULDER5" 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 129 

would catch men and win them for Christ we 
must keep ourselves out of sight. Some men 
who claim to be Gospel fishers, by their oratory 
and strong personalities, are very successful 
when it comes to having mukitudes sign cards 
or stand up and confess Christ with their lips, 
but this is not truly fishing — it is not landing 
them at all. They are left in the sea (the 
world) to mingle with their same old associ- 
ates, engage in the same business, commit the 
same sins, etc., as before, and their end is de- 
struction just as truly as though they had never 
signed a card or joined a church. 

If modern preachers would get rid of self, 
in other words, hide themselves in the blood of 
Christ, and come before the world, and preach 
nothing but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified to 
save men from all sin, there would be less 
church-joining and card-signing and many 
would doubtless see their sinful state, count 
the cost and pray through to salvation and 
finally reach heaven as a result. But so long 
as modern revival methods are carried on, 
Satan need have no fear of losing many of the 
souls that are traveling the broad way. 

''He that winneth souls is wise." As in 
fishing it takes different tackle and bait to be 
successful, so in catching men. What appeals 

9 



I30 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

to one does not appeal to another, tliat is, some 
l)liase of Gospel truth apj^eals to one more tlian 
another, and we believe that all men, some time 
or other in their lives are susceptible to the 
truth. Preach.ers may, by their ability and 
talents, persuade men and women to ex])ress a 
theoretical belief in Christ, and even ha\e them 
to kneel at the altar, but nothing- 1:ut God-im- 
parted wisdom, flowing from a heart of j^urity 
will enable them to catch souls in tlie Gospel 
net. It is of more importance to get one soul 
safely landed in the narrow way, than to build 
up" a whole cliurch of mere professors who are 
still living in sin. 

Reader, it is your privilege to be a success- 
ful fisher for souls, even though you may not 
be a learned doctor of divinity. The Lord 
cliose the simple and unlearned Galilean fish- 
ermen to be fisliers of men, and they became 
real soul-winners, yet like Jesus, they were re- 
jected by the masses, and fmally ])ut to deatli 
by them. Nothing but the old-time Gosj^el. 
preached in the old-time way with power sent 
down from heaven is sufficient to save tlie peo- 
l>le from endless despair. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 131 

CALVES OF THE STALL" 



LITTLE CALVES are very interesting to 
look upon, and furnish amusement for all 
those who have a chance to see them run- 
ning in the barn lot or out on the prairie. They 
remind us very much of what one of the proph- 
ets said of all those who fear the Lord. He 
said the Sun of Righteousness should arise with 
healing in His wings, and they should "go 
forth, and gambol as calves of the stall" (R. 
v.). We do not see many people acting this 
way nowadays, hence conclude there are few 
people who really, fear the Lord. However, 
there is a company of people we know whom 
God blesses with such freedom and hilarity 
that they act very much like calves or lambs at 
play. When any one becomes free from sin 
and the cares of this life he will invariably 
show it in some form of joyful demonstration. 
Sin, formality and the fear of what others may 
say and do bind people down. Look, if you 
please, in a modern church, and among all the 
large congregation you will not find many act- 
ing like a stall-fed calf. What is the reason? 
The reason is obvious. They do not fear the 



132 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

name of the Lord. They are hypocritical and 
deceived. They pretend to love, fear and serve 
God, but their hearts are far from Him. This 
is a sad state of affairs, and shows us that we 
are living in the midst of a people who have 
forgotten God and have crowded Him out of 
their lives. 

Little calves, like lambs, have enemies 
to contend with and many of them never live 
to be large cattle. Perhaps their worst enemy 
in the animal line is the wolf. Wolves are 
strong and vicious and often attack large cat- 
tle and horses, but if there are plenty of calves 
or colts around they furnish a very tempting 
meal for a wolf. If the open prairie or foot- 
hills happen to be the grazing-place of the cat- 
tle, they are frequently charged upon by the 
wolves emerging from their covert in the dense 
timber, when the herdsman is not in sight to 
scare them off. Most of their work is done 
under cover of night, but in many instances 
daylight seems to suit their purpose quite 
as well. 

There is a very painful process that little 
calves in the West have to go through. They 
have to be branded or marked. This is done 
by first catching them by throwing a lasso over 
their heads which causes them to jump, bellow 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 135 

and make desperate efforts to free tlicmselves 
from its galling' coils. By means of another 
rope on their hind feet they are thrown, and 
stretched out upon the ground. Thus held fast, 
a hot iron, hearing the owner's mark, wliich is 
one or two letters in monogram or separately, 
is ap])lied to their side or hip. Jt of course 
is not a pleasant sensation for a calf to he thus 
burned, hut tlie stock-raiser has to do it in order 
to retain possession of his cattle, ^'ou must 
rememher tliere are many dilTerent cattle men, 
and they turn hundreds and thousands of head 
out together on the pubHc range, and if it were 
not for th.e brand burned into the hide a 
rancher could not tell what cattle belonged to 
him. So one man mi«-]it lose all he had bv 
some one else claiming tliem and the owner- 
ship could not be proved. But the little brand 
once burned into the skin is there for life, and 
tells the tale, and the ownershij) cannot be 
disputed. Sheep are also branded, but not 
by this burning process. After shearing 
time a letter is stamped on tliem with a 
wooden stam]^ dip])ed in red, black or green 
paint, which may be easily seen on their coats 
of wliite. 

Would you believe that tlie peo]-)le of this 
world are branded? Not after the san:e man- 



136 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

ner that stockmen brand their sheep and cattle, 
but they are branded nevertheless. There are 
many ways in which God's people are marked. 
It may be their simple manner of dress that dis- 
tmguishes them from Satan's children. Then 
again their manner of living, their conversa- 
tion, their habits and their general character 
are brands which the Lord has burned into 
their very beings which cannot be mistaken; 
Just so does the devil brand his children. 
Perhaps you do not believe that the devil has 
children in this world. Well, he has, and we 
are sorry to say he is far the biggest owner, 
too. The Lord said to the Pharisees, ''Ye are 
of your father the devil." But how does he 
brand his people, you will want to know. The 
Bible says, "The show of their countenance 
doth witness against them." That is, the looks 
on a person's face show wdiose child he is. 
Sin leaves its mark and the keen observer 
need not be mistaken. We once met 
about a dozen boys on the canal bank. 

They had walked all the way from N 

E , a distance of about thirteen miles. 

They had no doubt run away from home un- 
beknown to their parents. It was not neces- 
sary for any one to tell us whose children they 
were. We could tell by the brands that were 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 137 

on them. Sin, hardness and cruelty were 
plainly stamped on their faces. Some of them 
were smoking cigarettes and swearing which 
were some of the brands the devil had placed 
upon them. 

Sometimes in the West cattle, horses or 
sheep are transferred from one man to an- 
other. In this case the brands have to be 
changed. The first brand is ''vented," or has 
a line burned through it which signifies that it 
is null or no good, and a new brand is put on in 
a different place. Just so may the children of 
this world be branded. They may be trans- 
ferred from Satan's ownership to that of the 
Lord's by their forsaking sin and being born 
into the kingdom of God. The Lord will 
adopt you and remove the marks of sin from 
your face and make it to shine with the oil 
of gladness. Reader, whose brand are you 
bearing to-day? Are you in God's fold or 
Satan's? ''Search the scriptures; for in 
them ye think ye have eternal life: and they 
are they which testify of me." 



138 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

THANKSGIVING DAY IN CAMP 



SEVEN MONTHS had been put in by the 
foreman and his helper at the summer 
camp, looking after the several thousand 
head of cattle placed under their charge for the 
summer season. They had been months not 
lacking in interest and activity, for the life of 
a cowboy is a strenuous one, and is usually 
free from the monotony that sometimes pre- 
vails among those engaged in other occupa- 
tions. As one starts out from the camp in 
the morning to make the day's ride over the 
distant hill, past timbered buttes and across 
rushing streams, the scenes are ever changing, 
and by the time the limit of the circuit is 
reached and a number of unbranded calves 
have been sought out and driven in to await 
the next branding day, the sun is kissing good- 
night to the snow-capped peaks in the distance 
and the day is drawing to a close. Then it is 
that the weary cowboy welcomes the sight of 
the rudely constructed log cabin by the creek 
which is indeed a happy retreat after the long 
hours spent in the saddle galloping over the 
hills. Nor does he once wish for the elegant 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 141 

couch or easy chair to rest himself, but is 
quite satisfied with sitting on a bench, box or 
anything that may come handy. 

On entering the lot the horses are unsad- 
dled and set at liberty, and after the usual 
rolling upon the ground, they go trotting off 
to join the band in the pasture, there to rest 
and eat grass until their turn comes again, 
which may be a week or ten days, since there 
are thirty or forty of their kind in the band 
to select from for the day's mount, and each 
must be ridden in its turn. 

You have seen the motto, "What is home 
w^ithout a mother?" but here on the plains are 
young' men whose mother's have long since 
passed into the great beyond, or perhaps live 
in distant states, and memories of them amid 
such surroundings are like spectres that flit 
rapidly by, but do not tarry. But a young man 
does not live in a cattle country long without 
acquiring the habit of making the best of his 
circumstances and environments, and is soon 
lost to the outside world. He lives in a little 
world to itself that presents its likes and dis- 
likes, but for the most part he would not change 
matters, though it were in his power to do so. 
For here it is that one gets the benefit of na- 
ture's pure air, and the daily exercise that one 



142 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

is accustomed to is conducive to the building 
up of a robust constitution. And these things, 
combined with the dangers that are confronted 
in riding broncos and facing severe storms in 
the winter, tend to put courage and endurance 
into a person that are valuable assets in pur- 
suing any vocation, whatever it may be. 

On coming in from the day's ride the cow- 
boy lays aside his chaps and spurs and goes 
about preparing the evening meal just as natiu'- 
ally as he rides a bronco, throws a lariat or 
pulls the trigger of his six-shooter, nor does he 
complain if his culinary department is not 
equipped with all the modern conveniences that 
may be found in the average city home. So 
long as there is a stove and a frying pan or 
two he may consider the kitchen sufficiently 
furnished, and from the supply of eatables on 
hand, which at least consists of flour, potatoes 
and an abundant supply of fresh beef, together 
with the little necessaries to make them palata- 
ble, a substantial meal is soon on the table, to 
which the hungry knights of the range are not 
slow in doing justice. 

The fall round-up is a time of special in- 
terest to all concerned, for then it is that the 
stockmen who have cattle on the range that is 
to be ridden, send riders to look after their in- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 145 

terests, and cowboys who have been engaged 
in other sections of the country during the sum- 
mer season, meet and ride together for a week 
or ten days, or until the work of gathering in 
and separating is accompHshed. On each day 
trips are made to different points of the range 
within a Hmited distance, and by agreement, 
the cattle are brought to one locality where 
they are "bunched" and the work of separating 
carried on according to their brands, those 
bearing a certain brand being cut out and put 
in a herd together, and afterwards taken to 
the ranch of their owner for the winter. Each 
day's round-up is usually made on or near the 
ranch of the stockman possessing the most 
cattle, and the various other brands cut out 
from the main herd. 

How well does this work illustrate to us 
the gathering together of the people of the 
earth at the great Judgment! "For we shall 
all stand before the judgment seat of Christ," 
and give "account for the deeds done in the 
body." It was necessary that the cattle be 
searched out from their secluded retreats in 
the mountains and valleys and from the cover 
of the timber, and that they all be brought to 
the round-up and have their ownership made 
known, that they might be taken to their own 

10 



146 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

place for the winter. Just so will all nations 
and peoples be gathered to judgment before 
the great throne, and those bearing the image 
of Christ shall be parted to the right and those 
bearing the mark of the evil one shall be placed 
on the left. Then shall it be said to those on 
the right, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
herit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world," but it shall be said 
to those on the left hand, ''Depart from me, ye 
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
devil and his angels." Notice that this scrip- 
ture says that these two places are prepared 
for their respective classes of people and we 
naturally infer that the people are being pre- 
pared in this life for one or the other of the 
places. Will not this be a sad round-up for 
the multitudes of earth who have failed to do 
the will of God and have lived for their own 
pleasure and for worldly gain? But on the 
other hand, think of the blessedness and ever- 
lasting joy that will be the lot of those who 
have washed their robes and made them white 
in the blood of the Lamb and on whom can be 
found no trace of sin. 

It was at the camp shown in the illustra- 
tion, that the writer, as foreman of the herd, 
partook of his last Thanksgiving dinner pre- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 147 

vious to his entering the Lord's work. And 
you may wonder what kind of Thanksgiving it 
was. We are sure that not many of our read- 
ers ever spent such a Thanksgiving, yet its 
principal feature, that of eating, did not differ 
materially from the Thanksgiving Days spent 
by the multitudes in our cities and hamlets, 
though the meal of course, was lacking in those 
tempting viands that are had in abundance at 
the elegant dinners of the well-to-do in the 
cities. However, it was a deviation from the 
usual fare for cowboys while engaged in work 
on the range, and we daresay was no less en- 
joyed than many a Thanksgiving dinner par- 
taken of by our city friends. The day was not 
spent as a holiday, for there had already been 
several snowstorms, and feed on the range 
was getting short and we could afford to lose 
no time in getting the cattle into the large 
field surrounding the camp, preparatory to 
starting them on the fifty mile trail home. 
Just as the young men were adjusting their 
chaps and making ready to start on the day's 
ride, some one broached the subject of what 
would be had for the Thanksgiving meal. 
There was no lack for the finest cuts of beef 
as we have said, and within a stone's throw 
of the cabin ran the creek where a good angler 



148 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

could in an hour's time catch enough moun- 
tain trout to satisfy all. Had prairie chicken 
or mountain grouse been wanted they could 
have been obtained within a radius of a mile 
or two, provided luck did not fail us with the 
shotgun. But these things had become com- 
monplace and everybody was in favor of a 
change for this special occasion. 

"Are there no turkeys around this part 
of the country?" was asked by a young Mis- 
sourian. ''Don't know of a single one," an- 
swered Scotty. ''But," suggested another, 
"there's a woman on a ranch about two miles 
from here that's got a mighty fine lot o' hens." 
Enough said, and orders were given for one 
of the number to ride over to buy a sufficient 
number of the fowls and on returning, remain 
at the camp and prepare the meal. Cowboys 
have no fixed hours for eating except it be 
the morning meal, so when the ride is ended 
and the cattle gathered during the day are 
placed in the field, a grand rush is made for 
camp. On this occasion they arrived about 
four o'clock, and the cook who had been cast- 
ing occasional glances out toward the big gate 
about a mile off, had espied them coming and 
began to make ready the table, and with the 
assistance of the foreman, who had come in. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 151 

the meal was soon on the table. There were 
no white linen tablecloths or napkins, nor 
china and cut-glass ware, but the absence of 
these commodities was hardly thought of by 
any one present. The covering of oilcloth and 
the plates of tin were considered sufficient fur- 
nishings, and no regrets were prompted, but 
every one showed his complete satisfaction by 
the manner in which he disposed of the vict- 
uals. The cook received his share of compli- 
ments in the meantime, and soon the table was 
cleared away and all gathered round the big- 
heating stove in the adjoining room to talk 
about cattle, broncos, etc. 

We step to the door and an impressive scene 
greets our eyes. We stand at the corner of the 
section and a half of fenced land, the round-up 
is over, the vast number of cattle are before 
us in the field, literally covering every acre 
of the one thousand within the fence, their 
dark color standing out in bold relief against 
the snow-covered foothills in the background. 
Soon the shadows of evening are casting their 
gloom over mountain and plain and the scene 
is lost to view. But on the still, night air 
comes the sound of tramping and lowing cat- 
tle, the sharp yelp of the coyote is heard on a 
neighboring knoll, while in the distance we 



152 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

catch the deep, stentorian howl of the gray wolf 
taking up the refrain as he calls to his follow- 
ers to join him in making a raid on the cattle 
for their evening meal. Such is the music of 
the western plains. The night is on and an- 
other Thanksgiving Day has passed into 
oblivion. 

Those days are gone and six years have 
elapsed and a distance of two thousand miles 
separates us from these haunts, yet memories 
of them occasionally flit past our mind, and we 
are tempted to throw out our lasso and bring 
them a little closer and invite them to stay. 
We would cherish them as silent communica- 
tions with nature — as times of meditation with 
ourself and God, for here it was that the Lord 
talked to us and showed us the necessity of 
spending our life wholly in His service. And 
does it not seem strange that the Lord should 
pick out one from among the companionship of 
thoughtless and worldly young men and put 
an almost irresistible pressure upon him that 
would cause him to leave a vocation that 
seemed so agreeable to his nature and pursue 
one so widely different ? Such is the love God 
has for men that He seeks them out from the 
remotest corners of the earth, and such is the 
power of the Gospel to change a person and 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 153 

make him content to follow whithersoever the 
Lord leads. We had no real thanksgiving in 
our heart at that time. Like Israel in Baby- 
lonian captivity who had hung their harps on 
the willows, we had no song of praise. 

Multitudes at Thanksgiving time work 
and plan in order to provide tempting foods to 
indulge their appetites, and gather together 
in companies to celebrate the nation's thanks- 
giving, but after all, how little there is of the 
true thanksgiving spirit manifested! How 
few hearts are overflowing with gratitude to 
God for His great mercy in sparing their lives, 
and for the wonderful provision He has made 
for the salvation of men! There is often 
much feeding of the physical man, yea, there 
is surfeiting, but the soul in myriads of cases 
goes without the real bread and water of life. 
The observance of feast days among God's 
ancient people was a time of special devotion, 
and the presence of Jehovah was wonderfully 
manifest, but in our day God is not in the 
thoughts of the multitudes who gather to make 
merry and to eat and to drink. Would that 
some who read these lines might be led to the 
banqueting table of the Lord and partake to 
their fill of the heavenly manna and of the wine 
of the kingdom until they would have a real 



154 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



thanksgiving in their souls. Remember the 
round-up to which you are rapidly being driven 
on the wings of time, and where you will be 
parted to the right or the left and receive your 
sentence. But let those who are following the 
Lord rejoice evermore that their sins are blot- 
ted out and their names are written in heaven. 











^' 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 155 

ft 

GUARD THE WEAK PLACES 



SURROUNDING the summer camp was a 
large field comprising- a couple of sec- 
tions of nice meadow land which was 
kept in reserve each season for late fall pasture 
as the cattle were being rounded up. One day 
in September as the two cowboys in charge of 
the herd were coming over the hill from the 
day's ride, an unwelcome sight met their eyes. 
The feed on the outside range was already be- 
coming short and the cattle traveling along the 
outside of the large field of luscious grass had 
at last discovered a weak place in the fence 
and no less than 2,000 head had found their 
way into the field. The riders took in the situa- 
tion at a glance and were not long in rounding 
them up and starting them toward the opening, 
but it is needless to say they were quite reluc- 
tant to travel freely in that direction. However, 
they were soon on the outside, but everywhere 
they had been, the once tall and waving grass 
was trampled- flat, and much of it, of course, 
had been carried out with the herd. 

Having once tasted of the grass within 
the field they preferred to remain there 



156 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

rather than rustle for a living on the well-nigh 
barren prairie without. Therefore they re- 
fused to go away, and for several days crowded 
round the place where they had gotten in. 
Though the fence was strengthened, some of 
the more presistent ones succeeded in forcing 
an entrance, and where one animal goes on 
such occasions, others are sure to follow. Thus 
did a large number repeatedly get in and it 
became necessary to thoroughly reinforce 
the fence and drive the cattle off to another 
part of the range. Yet withal the fence had 
to be watched closely for several days, for they 
were wont to return and seek an opening. 

Thus it is with sin and its work of de- 
struction upon the human race. The boy or 
girl, under the influence of God-fearing par- 
ents, goes through the period of childhood and 
youth with a character that is unmarred by sin, 
and gives promise of bringing forth fruit unto 
righteousness. 

But in course of time and in an unguarded 
moment, sin enters and begins to destroy all 
that is good. * Perhaps it is discovered and its 
presence in the life is deplored. Strenuous 
efforts are employed to eliminate it, and it is 
probably overcome for a time, but it ever lin- 
gers near. The weak place once discovered by 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 157 

Satan has been made weaker by the first en- 
trance of sin, and the wall of defense is re- 
peatedly attacked and broken down until deep 
inroads into the moral chara:cter are made. 
The life where the fruit of the Spirit pre- 
viously flourished is laid waste, and the once 
pure and beautiful character trampled and pol- 
luted by evil spirits. 

Oh the multitudes of young men and 
women whose characters might have remained 
untainted by evil habits and whose counte- 
nances might have been kept unclouded by 
guilt had they been watchful and called upon 
God to keep them from the evil and to guard 
them against the onslaughts of the destroyer 
of all that is good. 

Some distance farther up the valley were 
other large fields and ranches that belonged 
to the cattle company. They had once been 
the homes of individual ranchers and had in 
years past been irrigated and well cared for 
and made to produce large stacks of hay of an 
excellent quality. The buildings and fences 
had at one time been kept up and everything 
presented a neat and prosperous appearance. 
But these places had been purchased by the cat- 
tle company largely for the purpose of gaining 
control of more summer pasture, and they 



158 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

made no effort to keep the fences up or to pre- 
serve the buildings. Consequently everything 
had practically gone to ruin. The fences were 
no longer sufficient to turn the cattle, but they 
could enter at a score of places and from every 
side at will. In former years during the sum- 
mer season the grass reached a height of two 
feet or more in some of these fields, but at 
the time we have in mind hundreds of cattle 
fed there and it scarcely reached two or three 
inches. The irrigating ditches that had once 
run to overflowing with life-giving water from 
the mountains were no longer looked after and 
had grown up with weeds and become filled 
with rubbish. Buildings that once sheltered 
the family and had been the place called 
''home" by various ones, had long since lost 
their claim to being the abode of man. Win- 
dows were broken out and doors torn from 
their hinges and the cattle frequently came in 
to shelter from the storm. Wood rats and 
other unclean animals and birds of the field 
made their homes there and desolation and un- 
cleanness had become the order of the day. 
What a picture this is of the cities and na- 
tions that have been laid waste because of sin 
and upon which the curse of God has fallen ! 
In the Bible we read of the magnificent city of 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN i6i 

Babylon, a large part of which consisted of 
beautiful parks and gardens. Its walls were 
56 miles in circumference, 335 feet high, 85 
feet wide, but God's curse fell upon it. His 
prophets foretold its desolation and wrote its 
doom in the Book. "And Babylon, the glory 
of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' ex- 
cellency, shall be as when God overthrew 
Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be in- 
habited, neither shall it be dwelt in from genera- 
tion to generation: neither shall the Arabian 
pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds 
make their fold there. But wild beasts of the 
desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be 
full of doleful creatures : and owls shall dwell 
there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the 
wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their 
desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant 
palaces : and her time is near to come, and her 
days shall not be prolonged" (Isa. 13:19-22). 
All this came to pass and the ruins of the city 
may be seen to this day as an example of God's 
displeasure on sin. 

As it is with cities and nations, so it is 
with individuals who bring the displeasure of 
God upon their lives. Many have flourished 
and been prosperous for a portion of their 
lives and have manifested traits of Christian 

11 



i62 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

character, and have possessed the fruits of the 
Spirit; for a time they may have kept their 
house in order and guarded against the 
entrance of everything that would destroy. 
But at last they became neglectful and failed 
to watch and pray as they should. The evil 
lurking without seized the opportunity, and sin 
with its blasting influence entered and began 
its deadly work, and it was only a matter of a 
little time until everything was laid waste, and 
the soul became like a deserted place, overrun 
by evil beasts. 

There are lives about us everywhere that 
have been made barren and fruitless; there 
are characters that were once strong and cour- 
ageous and able to withstand any attack of 
the enemy, but are now weak and vacillating; 
faces that once had the upward gaze and re- 
flected the image of Christ, but now sad and 
downcast; souls that were once watered 
through channels flowing from the stream of 
life, but now dry and desert. Oh the human 
wrecks, and lives that produce nothing that 
is good that may be seen on every hand in the 
land to-day! To find those who are keeping 
up the fight against sin is a difficult matter. 
Christ is crowded out and the hearts of men 
have become the abode of unclean spirits. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 165 

Christ came to turn the desert of the hu- 
man heart into joy and gladness and to set the 
captive free; to make the weak strong and the 
Mind to see ; to heal the sick and to lift up the 
fallen; to make the crooked straight and to 
build up that which is broken down; to sepa- 
rate the precious from the vile and to dispel 
the darkness and gloom. And what more? 
"I am come that they might have life, and that 
they might have it more abundantly." And 
what more? '*In my Father's house are many 
mansions : if it were not so, I would have told 
you. I go to prepare a place for you.'' And 
what more? 'To him that overcometh will 
I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I 
also overcame, and am set down with my 
Father in his throne." And here is the invita- 
tion: ''And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. 
And let him that heareth say, Come. And let 
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, 
let him take the water of life freely." 

How great a mischief one unguarded point 
may cause us! One wound may destroy 
the body, and one sin will destroy the soul. 
What must the end be of those who fail to 
guard their lives against sin and call upon the 
Lord to save them from destruction. There 
is only one remedy for sin, and that is the blood 



i66 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



of the atonement. Man's only hope is in Christ. 
'^Neither is there salvation in any other: for 
there is none other name under heaven given 
among men, whereby v^e must be saved." 




j 



I 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 167 

LITTLE THINGS 



THE FOLLOWING PICTURE brings 
to mind an incident that once hap- 
pened when we were helping round 
up and corral wild horses in the West. 
In company with a number of young men, 
we had driven a large band of horses 
into a corral and were separating them. There 
were many little colts among them and one of 
these had run up into a narrow chute where 
he was not wanted. He was only a little fel- 
low and one of the young men thought to re- 
move him by taking hold of his tail and pulling 
him back, when lo, quick as a flash his heels 
flew up and struck the man square in the 
mouth. It is needless to say that it was not a 
pleasant sensation. He did not blame him- 
self for his own folly, but was very angry at 
the colt, who was only trying to defend him- 
self. 

Now the point we want you to notice is 
this, the Bible says something about little 
foxes that spoil the vines. It is often little 
things in life that people do not notice that 
lead to the most trouble. This young man 



i68 .FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

would never have thought of taking hold of 
the tail of one of the large wild horses, for he 
would have expected to receive a severe kick 
Vv'hich might have resulted in broken limbs or 
perhaps the loss of his life. So it is with 
men. Little sins and misdeeds are like 
little colts that appear harmless, but when in- 
dulged in they never fail to leave their sting. 
You would not think of going out and doing 
some terrible deed that would cause you to be 
put in jail or to be punished severely, yet you 
do many things that appear to be small, but 
remember that the smallest sin or act of dis- 
obedience is very dangerous and will leave a 
wound upon your soul that will cause you suf- 
fering and may never be healed. 

Remember the text, ''Little foxes spoil 
the vines," and destroy the tender grapes, and 
just as this young man had his mouth injured 
by the kick from the little colt, so may some 
little bad habits that you indulge in, ruin your 
character and blight your whole life. Little 
colts become large, strong horses and when 
wild it is sometimes hard to bring them under 
control. Just so do little sins become enor- 
mous evils until it is almost impossible for one 
to overcome them when once they have gamed 
a headway in one's life. Therefore the wise 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 171 

thing is not to meddle with anything that has 
the least appearance of evil and then your 
whole life will be blest and you may build up 
a -character that Jesus will be pleased to look 
upon. 

Another thing we notice about colts is 
that their ownership is known by the brand 
they bear. Just so are people known by cer- 
tain marks about them. Sin leaves its mark 
and shows plainly that one belongs to Satan. 
But through the blood of Jesus you may have 
the sin stains washed from your heart and 
the outward marks will gradually disappear, 
you will take on the likeness of Jesus and 
everybody will know that you are His child. 
Come to Him now and let Him make you 
His own. 




172 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



SHEEP AND THEIR SHEPHERD 



WHEN the learned men of the world 
essay to reveal some valuable scien- 
tific truth they often do so by using 
language and terms that are difficult of compre- 
hension by the illiterate and simple-minded. 
When Jesus wished to teach His disciples, and 
the world, the mysteries pertaining to the king- 
dom of heaven. He chose the most simple illus- 
trations, bringing into use the things of na- 
ture — the cattle, sheep, the mountains, grain- 
fields, etc., avoiding entirely the "traditions 
of men," and things hard to be understood. 
His lessons embraced the most vital subject 
that ever engaged the mind of man — eternal 
life, — yet by His simple methods of conveying 
the truth, the little child, if he obeys the voice 
of God, may be made to understand the things 
of eternal 'import. 

Perhaps no other lesson impresses us more 
and helps us to understand our relationship to 
God better than that of the sheep and the shep- 
herd. When we note the timidity, and harm- 
lessness, as well as the defenseless nature of 
sheep, we see how dependent they are upon 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 173 

a good shepherd to guide and protect them 
and provide food and sheUer for them. Being 
of a roving disposition, they wander over the 
plains and hiUs not knowing where to go or 
when to stop and return to the fold. Hence, 
without a competent shepherd, they would soon 
become scattered and driven with the storm 
or torn by wild beasts. 

He who is acquainted with the sheep in- 
dustry in all of its phases as it is carried on 
by the stockmen of our western states would 
be at a loss to know how to handle a small 
flock in the Oriental land according to eastern 
methods. The western herdsman has any- 
where from two to five thousand head to man- 
age. He has a small tent pitched on the prairie 
or in a ravine which is surrounded by good 
pasture. His pasture may consist of the many 
miles of open prairie or rolling mountains sur- 
rounding him on all sides and extending in 
any direction as far as the eye can reach. His 
''fold" may be an open corral, or oftentimes 
not even this, but only a "bedding-ground," 
where the sheep lie down for the night. With 
no better protection than this, the herder is 
often aroused during the night to scare off the 
hungry beasts that seek their lives. At the 
break of day they begin to scatter in almost 



174 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

every direction, feeding as they go, but the 
shepherd with the aid of his dogs sees that 
they all keep drifting in one direction. Here 
the sheep do not follow the shepherd, but he 
follows them, turning them if they should go 
in a direction contrary to his will. When they 
have gone far enough for the day they are 
turned that they may feed back in the direc- 
tion of the camp, and reach it by night-fall. 

The herder's life, as a rule, in this country, 
is one of monotony. If it happens to be in the 
spring of the year when there are many lambs 
in the flock, their continual bleating is music 
with few variations in it and is entirely void of 
strains that are pleasing to the ear. Thus from 
day to day and from week to week this solitary 
life is lived by many on our western plains. 
With the exception of the ''camp-tender" who 
makes his regular visits at intervals of ten days 
or two weeks his life is entirely void of human 
companionship. With glad expectancy does 
he watch for the familiar team to bring him a 
new supply of provisions, a few newspapers, a 
letter or two, or salt for the sheep. Or per- 
haps his pasture is getting short and he is anx- 
ious to have his camp moved to a better locality. 

Yet with all its disagreeable features, we 
have often thought whether such a life could 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 177 

not be productive of much good by the way of 
self-improvement. David was a shepherd boy, 
and through his devotion to God andhisdiHgent 
appHcation he became quaUfied to shepherd the 
whole Israelitish nation, becoming king by ap- 
pointment from God. Had he not overcome 
by slaying the wild beasts that attacked his 
sheep he would have been of little worth in 
combating the giant that defied for so long the 
hosts of Israel. Thus do we see the impor- 
tance of making the best of our opportunities. 
Whatever may be the task at hand, be it ever so 
menial, we may not hope to rise to a higher 
plane until we have done well that which has 
been given us to do. In the warm, pleasant 
days of summer, when the sheep are halting at 
the brook-side for their noonday rest, what an 
excellent opportunity for the herder to improve 
his mind and increase his store of knowledge 
by devouring the contents of a good book, such 
as the Bible, Pilgrim's Progress or others we 
might mention. Then again one might com- 
mune with nature and call upon God with no 
human voice or other discordant sound to dis- 
tract his mind. Time would fail us to tell of 
Abraham, Jacob, Moses and other great char- 
acters of Bible fame, who received wonderful 
revelations from God and were taught great 

12 



178 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

spiritual lessons while working as shepherds. 
Let us contrast some of the Oriental cus- 
toms of tending sheep with those of our home- 
land that we may better grasp the truths this 
lesson is intended to convey. In the tenth 
chapter of John and the third verse we read, 
"The sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his 
own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he 
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: 
for they know his voice." It was the custom 
for the flocks of a considerable district to be 
kept in one fold, and each shepherd had his 
sheep named, so that he had but to call theui 
out from among the others each morning as he 
took them to the pasture or common range. 
He did not drive them, but he led the way and 
they followed. When danger affrighted they 
ran to him for protection. We can better see 
how this naming and calling-out process might 
be practical when we consider that each flock 
consisted of but a few sheep, perhaps less than 
a hundred, yet we read of some of the flocks' 
being managed this way that numbered as high 
as four hundred. However, so accustomed 
were the sheep to the shepherd's voice that they 
had but to hear him speak and they obeyed 
immediately. 




A SHEPHERD S TENT 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN i8i 

By this eastern custom we get a truer con- 
ception of our relationship to our heavenly 
Shepherd. Christ loves us as individuals, calls 
us by name and leads the way beside pleasant 
streams and prolific fields, that we may not 
hunger or thirst. Notice that He does not 
drive us, but leads us gently. He is always 
present to hear our prayers and grant us aid 
when we call upon Him. But if we would be 
the recipients of His blessings we must obey 
His voice and follow where He leads, otherwise 
we imbibe a roving disposition and go running 
over the world seeking satisfaction and finding 
it not. 

When the enemy of our souls is roaring 
without, our only safety is to keep following 
our Shepherd. 

"I know not where I am going, 
But well do I know my guide." 

May we be trustful and obedient to His 
voice that no danger may befall us while mak- 
ing this journey to heaven. 




i82 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS 



MANY of our readers whose knowledge oi 
the sheep industry is limited to the fif- 
teen or twenty head possessed by the 
humble farmer would be overwhelmed at the 
sight of some of the vast flocks belonging to the 
ranchers of the West. In Montana, Idaho,^ 
Utah and other states, it is no uncom- 
mon thing to see from two to five thousand 
head in one flock scattered over the mountain- 
sides and broad plateaus, guided and watched 
over by a single shepherd and his faithful dogs. 

No other industry, except it be that of 
mining, has brought such rapid returns and 
untold wealth to its devotees as that of wool-, 
growing. With free and apparently unlimited 
range in many localities, men have amassed 
fortunes in a comparatively short time. 

Though the price of wool is subject to 
fluctuations the same as other staple products, 
the steady and increasing demand for this 
article of commerce, has kept the price at such 
a margin that the wool-grower has been well 
justified in choosing this means of accumulat- 
ing material wealth. 




DRIVING SHEEP THROUGH A CHUTE 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 185 

While men make fortunes at this business, 
it requires great labor, watchfulness, hardships 
and sacrifice on the part of those who have 
charge of the sheep. During the cold, stormy 
days of winter some one has to follow them 
over the mountains and through the valleys 
where they subsist on the scant supply of grass 
left from the preceding summer. In the ex- 
treme northwest many herders as well as sheep 
have perished when sudden and severe storms 
have overtaken them. 

Aside from inclement weather, sheep have 
many enemies with which to contend. Among 
their most common foes are the wolf and 
coyote, which often emerge from their hiding 
places in the woods or from among the high 
sage brush and pounce upon the unsuspecting 
sheep while the herder is doing duty at some 
distant point. Or perhaps at night-time when 
the flock is lying quietly in the fold, and the 
"shepherd asleep, these shy and bloodthirsty 
creatures come prowling around, jump the 
fence and begin their work of killing sheep. 
They do not always kill to satisfy their appe- 
tite for food merely, but will often enter a fold 
and kill a number of sheep, apparently for the 
sake of killing. 

Last, but not least of their enemies is a 



i86 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

disease called ''scab." This is a very conta- 
gious disease, and when one gets it, the whole 
flock is in imminent danger of becoming in- 
fected. So infectious is this disease, that sheep 
driven over a range where scabby sheep have 
grazed, perhaps weeks before, will become in- 
fected. This disease is mostly confined to the 
skin, and is very noticeable, inasmuch as the 
wool — that for which a sheep is most valued — 
drops off, and he is left without protection 
from the blasting winds of winter. The dis- 
ease, however, may be checked and ultimately 
cured by dipping in a chemical preparation for 
this purpose. This is expensive, and when of 
necessity done in cold weather, often proves 
fatal to many of the sheep. 

While we have mentioned a few of the 
disagreeable features and probable losses con- 
nected with sheep raising, those who do not 
make it a success are comparatively few. Yet 
men fail in this and they fail in other vocations. 
Some men are failures anywhere or at anything 
they may choose. You ask us why ; we answer, 
''Because Gods hand is against them." Some- 
where, sometime, He put His hand upon 
them and called them to be shepherds for Him, 
but they refused, and since that time His 
power and His wrath have been against them. 






a 



/ 



,.^^* 

' s^^^ 





MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 189 

(See Ezra 8:22.) Not only does God with- 
hold prosperity from those who turn their 
backs upon Him, but He allows sickness 
and disease to enter their homes in order to 
awaken them to the peril their souls are in. 

In the Bible much is said about sheep and 
shepherds. God compares His people to sheep, 
and His preachers to shepherds. In days of 
old there were false shepherds and true shep- 
herds. At different epochs the children of 
Israel were led by such men of faithfulness 
and sagacity as Moses, Joshua, David and oth- 
ers. Under their leadership and protection 
they worshiped God, and had victory over the 
heathen nations about them. Nevertheless 
false shepherds who cared more for the fleece 
than they did for the flock, were much in evi- 
dence. The sheep became scattered because 
there was no true shepherd, and they became 
meat for all the beasts of the field. They 
wandered through all the mountains and were 
scattered upon the face of the earth, and none 
did search or seek after them. Read in 
Ezekiel 34 of the awful condition which then 
existed. 

There are many false shepherds in the 
land to-day. They have not bound up the 
wounded; they have not fed the hungry on the 



190 



FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



bread from heaven. Greedy for filthy lucre, 
they have taken the fleece and left the flock 
to perish and be devoured by the beasts of 
sin. The retribution these false shepherds will 
suffer at the hands of an angry God is beyond 
comprehension. Our prayer is that our read- 
ers will listen to the voice of the true Shepherd 
and seek the fold which He has prepared for 
them. 




MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 191 

THE RICHES OF EARTH 



FOR EVERY BEAST of the forest is 
mine, and the cattle upon a thousand 
hills. I know all the fowls of the 
mountains: and the wild beasts of the field 
are mine. "^^ * The world is mine, and the ful- 
ness . thereof." In noting this scripture we 
get an idea of the great wealth of God in ma- 
terial things and of the abundance of His pos- 
sessions. All the wealth of the world is His, 
yet it is not to be compared to the wealth in 
spiritual things that He bestows upon His chil- 
dren. The wealth of the world is ever on the 
increase and the cost of living becomes higher 
and higher, hence greed and avarice are on 
the increase, and many are being consumed on 
every hand by these evils. Men take pride in 
their worldly possessions. 

We cast our eyes over the broad prairies 
of the western states and we see cattle in every 
direction and often as far as the eye can reach. 
They bear certain brands and men point to 
them and say, 'These are my cattle," but God 
says, ''They are mine." When we consider 
these vast herds of the mountains and plains, 



192 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

together with the combined numbers on the 
farms scattered throughout the length and 
breadth of this vast country, we have numbers 
beyond estimation, yet this is but a small per- 
centage of the wealth of the world. And it 
all belongs to God. The gold and the silver 
in the mines and banks are His, yet men are 
ever clamoring to gain possession of these 
things, which in a moment of time may be 
wrested from their grasp and they be left 
empty-handed. 

A striking illustration of the suddenness 
with which riches take their flight occurred 
a few days ago in New York City, when an 
aged couple were robbed of $i,ooo, which rep- 
resented their life savings. They had sold 
their little farm in Wayne county and had 
come to the city for the purpose of boarding 
a steamer for Holland, their native country, 
where they expected to live out their remaining 
days. Though the man was seventy years old 
and the woman sixty-eight, they seemed to 
have gained but little knowledge of the wick- 
edness of the world and became an easy prey 
to bunco men. At the station the two quaint 
travelers attracted considerable attention as 
they went about arranging for the transpor- 
tation of their baggage. Soon they were ac- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 193 

costed by a gentlemanly looking stranger who 
volunteered to look out for their belongings. 
He then invited the old couple to have luncheon 
with him. By his kind attention the young 
man soon gained the entire confidence of the 
unsuspecting pair, insomuch that the farmer 
urged him to carry his satchel containing the 
$1,000 for him so that it would be safe. After 
luncheon the stranger excused himself and 
disappeared. Of course he carried the money 
with him and the old man was left empty- 
handed, but wiser. Wiser men than he, with 
brighter prospects for tht future have had 
their hopes shattered in a moment of time by 
the sudden loss of earthly goods. 

When men do gain control of earthly 
substance they have to use every precaution 
in order to retain it, showing the greed and 
dishonesty that abound in the land, and really 
man possesses nothing in material things that 
he is not in danger of losing. The strongest 
bank in existence may be robbed or destroyed 
by fire or earthquake. The stockman of the 
West must have all his animals branded with 
a hot iron or he will lose them. Even then 
the country abounds with those who are so 
daring and full of greed that they do not hesi- 
tate to alter or disfigure a brand belonging to 

13 



194 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

another, or if it is beef that they want, they 
think little of butchering another's steer and 
destroying the hide. But invariably their sin 
finds them out sooner or later, and if sufficient 
proof is not produced to bring them to justice, 
they go through life branded as thieves and 
robbers to await their sentence at the hand of 
One from whom nothing is hid. 

So the whole world is at strife, and na- 
tions, corporations and individuals are fighting 
and contending for earthly things, and the 
more they get the more they want, and none 
are really satisfied, though they get that for 
which they seek. The great command is to 
''Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his 
righteousness; and all these thing shall be 
added unto you." This text does not mean 
that the seeker shall come into possession of 
vast herds of cattle, or that he will be given 
a single cow, or that he may have houses and 
lands deeded to him, but it implies tl.at all 
things necessary for one's comfort and welfare 
shall be provided from God's rich storehouse 
to those who seek first His kingdom and right- 
eousness. "All these things do the nations of 
the world seek after." This scripture does not 
say seek the things of the world, and pardon, 
salvation and riches of grace will be added, but 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 197 

it enjoins us to do just the opposite. When 
we see a person devoting all his time and spend- 
ing his strength and using his talents and 
ability toward the accumulation of material 
things, we are perfectly assured that he is not 
very rich toward God and is not laying up 
treasures in heaven. 

In the face of this command, "Seek ye 
first the kingdom of God," is it not obvious 
that the multitudes of professed Christians and 
church members are on a side-track and labor- 
ing in vain for a crown that comes to naught? 
People all down the ages have been ruined for 
time and eternity by the riches of earth and 
have never realized their folly until it was too 
late to lay hold on the true riches. It is a true 
saying of the rich, ''They are hemmed round 
with common misery: they go down to hell 
without thinking of it, because their staircase 
thither is of gold and porphyry." The way 
to torment is the way of ease and luxury, and 
we only have to look about us in order to see 
which way the multitudes are traveling. And 
in one sense it is not an easy way, for riches 
do not give peace and rest, but they add duties 
and responsibilities to lives that bring quick 
destruction. And it is not alone those who 
come in possession of riches that are ruined by 



198 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

them. A man may be as poor as a church 
mouse, but so long as he has a covetous nature 
and is reaching out after earthly things, he is 
controlled by this unholy desire and is shutting 
himself out from the storehouse of grace, the 
riches of which are far above rubies and dia- 
monds. 

Mr. Spurgeon tells of meeting a man in 
the course of his walks who had lost his legs 
and was obliged to hobble alongonwoodenones. 
On questioning him he learned that he had been 
a soldier in his younger days. With a few 
companions he had one time attacked a party 
of the enemy and had overcome them, after 
which they began to load themselves with the 
spoil. His comrades were satisfied with little, 
but he began to load himself with as much as 
he could carry. They were pursued ; his com- 
panions escaped, but he was overtaken by rea- 
son of his great burden and wounded, and only 
saved his life afterwards by losing his legs. 
Just so has the pursuit of worldly things 
robbed men of health, virtue, character, hap- 
piness and eternal life all down the ages. Yet 
men seek it in spite of all God's warnings and 
the examples that are given us on every hand. 

''Because thou sayest, I am rich, and in- 
creased with goods, and have need of nothing; 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 201 

and knowest not that thou art wretched, and 
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I 
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, 
that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, 
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the 
shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and 
anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou may- 
est see." True riches do not consist in 
houses and lands, stocks and bonds, nor in vast 
herds of cattle, but in righteousness and peace 
and joy in the Holy Ghost. And when true 
riches are once possessed they may not be swept 
away in a moment of time, as are the earthly 
riches, provided one is diligent in business. If 
calamity, or distress, or persecution come, in- 
stead of being swept away they increase at 
a rapid rate and richer and richer does one be- 
come. Though one be possessed with all the 
wealth of the world and have not the true 
riches, he is wretched and miserable and poor 
and blind and naked, and at his end his sad 
condition will be fearfully manifest to three 
worlds. Would that we could get the hearts 
of the people won away from the things of 
time that they might lay hold on the eternal 
riches and save themselves the torment and 
everlasting destruction that is sure to come 
upon them. 



202 _ FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



WOUND UP" 



AMONG OTHER THINGS that a cow- 
boy wishes to excel in is the art of 
throwing the lariat. To be a good 
''roper" or a good rider insures for one an en- 
viable reputation among one's friends and 
when at work on the range there are numer- 
ous opportunities for the cowboy to show his 
ability for work of this nature. As with rid- 
ing, so it is with roping, for one to be expert 
at either he must practice much and keep un- 
ceasingly at it. "He couldn't ride a pack- 
horse," is an oft-repeated expression, and is 
said of those who have not acquired the ability 
to ride a bucking bronco, and of one who is un- 
skilled with the rope it is said, ''He couldn't 
rope a post." 

There are good riders and poor riders, and 
there are men who are expert with the lariat 
and seldom miss a throw, even under difficul- 
ties and in cases of emergency their aim and 
nerve do not fail them, but there are the in- 
experienced who would have a hard time get- 
ting a noose over an animal's head, much less 
about its feet. Nevertheless, the best and 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 203 

most experienced men of the range come to 
grief at times by the unexpected happening, 
or when in some unguarded moment they allow 
a fractious horse or maddened cow to get the 
advantage of them, even though they are, of 
all men, most enduring, composed and unmind- 
ful of danger. 

In our illustration the artist has pictured 
the roping of a steer. While he is "roped" his 
captor and horse for the moment, seem to be 
in the worse plight, and are in danger of being 
drawn over the embankment, entangled in the 
rope and dragged. A steer weighing 1,200 
pounds is a much stronger animal than a horse 
weighing 900 or a 1,000, and it is only through 
the dexterous movements of the roper and the 
horse that the steer is controlled or thrown 
upon the ground. One of the main points 
in gaining the advantage of an animal that 
is "roped" is to prevent its running around 
the horse and getting him entangled, a thing 
which sometimes happens and endangers the 
welfare of both horse and rider. Men have 
been seriously injured in this way, while there 
is no doubt but that some have been dragged 
to their death by infuriated animals in their 
eagerness to escape their tormentors. A mad 
steer, or worse still, a mad cow, is not an easy 



204 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

thing to manage at the end of a lariat, and 
often turns upon the horse and gores him with 
her sharp horns, and it sometimes becomes 
necessary to reHeve the situation with the aid of 
a six-shooter. 

On a spring round-up, coming from a 
day's ride one evening, the men drove into 
camp a cow with an eight-months-old calf run- 
ning at her side. They intended to use the 
youngster to replenish the larder of the ''chuck 
wagon," and when -near enough to the desired 
spot an attempt was made to rope him, but 
owing to his close proximity to his mother's 
side, as well as to the poor aim of the man 
with the rope, the noose intended for him fell 
on the larger animal, and the calf, for the 
moment, went free. The man with the rope 
had caught more than he had bargained for, 
and her royal highness, already worried to the 
fighting point by being cut out from the herd 
and run into camp so unceremoniously, was 
trying the strength of the rope and saddle 
cinches, as well as the metal of the horse, 
while her captor was crying for some one to 
help him let her go. It is sometimes easy 
enough to get a rope over a wild horse or cow, 
but for one to let such an animal go and still 
retain possession of one's lariat, which may 






«i4 ^ims^MiL^ 



ll^m 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 207 

be an expensive rawhide one, usually requires 
the assistance of another roper. Of course 
when one is roping animals by the feet he has 
but to slack his rope and they go free. 

In this instance another was not long in 
getting his rope on the old cow's heels and a 
tightening of the two ropes stretched her out 
upon the ground. ''Big Dick" was requested 
to dismount ^nd remove the noose from her 
neck, which he readily proceeded to do, leav- 
ing his horse standing a few yards away. The 
man manipulating the foot rope was supposed 
to hold the cow down until Dick got back to 
his horse, but his desire to see some fun got the 
best of him and he slackened the rope and let 
the cow up. In an instant she was after Dick, 
but being without horns she failed to do more 
than give him a good scare and a fast run for 
his horse, which he was fortunate enough to 
put betw^een himself and his pursuer. She 
then went bounding across the prairie in search 
of her doomed offspring, but that night before 
spreading their blankets upon the ground, the 
cowboys made their lunch of choice bits of 
fresh veal broiled over the camp-fire. 

A maddened cow with a rope about her 
neck is like an evil habit that fastens itself 
upon a man in his course through life. In his 



2o8 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

desire for happiness he saunters forth into the 
world; his affections fasten upon objects that in 
themselves seem harmless and perfectly man- 
ageable, but soon desire increases, and what 
was first moderate indulgence has become 
an enormous evil, a soul-destroying habit, and 
he who was once master of the situation, of 
himself, finds he is "wound up" by the cords of 
sin and being rapidly dra;wn by a force 
stronger than himself toward the embankment 
of eternal despair. About us everywhere we 
see men who are in the embrace of evil habits, 
and are slowly but surely being drawn to their 
doom. Many seem to be perfectly oblivious of 
their danger, while others, awakened to their 
condition, struggle in vain for the mastery. 

What a terrible picture is a man with a 
conscience stung by remorse, struggling with 
his sinful habits and finding them too strong 
for him! The power of God alone can save 
the wretch from his terrible condition, but if 
he be destitute of faith, his remorseful agonies 
will but make him more hopelessly the slave of 
his passions. "Can the Ethiopian change his 
skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye 
also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." 
No man can, in his own strength, quit sin and 
turn himself loose from habits that have once 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 209 

fastened upon him. Like the cowboy with 
the rope on the maddened cow, he must call for 
some one to help him let go. The quickest 
way to get the advantage of a wild horse or 
cow is to rope it by the feet and throw it im- 
mediately and "hog-tie'' it. There are men 
who can thus throw and tie a wild steer in 
much less than a minute. Just as quickly 
would God have a man to get the advantage 
over his evil habits and propensities, but owing 
to the weakness of the flesh, unbelief and in- 
firmities, it often requires months and years 
for one to down an evil habit that has once 
had control in one's life. But far better that 
it should require a long period of time for such 
a victory than for the evil to run its course and 
destroy its victim soul and body, which would 
be the inevitable result if it were not overcome. 
Sin is indulged in without thought of the 
consequences and when its resistless bands 
have entwined themselves around its victim, 
then he awakens to find it is too late to make 
his escape. Therefore the only safe way is 
to flee every form of sin and worldly pleasure, 
and dread contact with it as one would the most 
deadly serpent. It is the sudden stopping of 
the little cow pony and the planting of his feet 
that throws the fleeing steer upon the ground. 

14 



2IO FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

Just so will a man's determination to live right- 
eously and his resistence against evil down it 
in his life and enable him to be an overcomer 
and victor on the battle-field of this world. 

God created men to be free, the master of 
themselves, but ''he that committeth sin is the 
servant of sin," and no man can call himself 
free who gives way to smoking, drinking, gam- 
bling, or any form of evil. He who does not 
down the evil propensities within him will 
eventually become their bond-slave, and will re- 
ceive the wages of sin, which is death. 

Reader, what is your .condition to-day? 
Stop a moment and think. That pleasure, 
that pastime you indulge in so frequently that 
affords you but momentary pleasure, is the 
beginning of an enormous evil that will soon 
control your whole life and wreck you soul and 
body for time and eternity. Cease to do it 
before you reach that awful state of remorse 
that men come to and cry for deliverance only 
to find that they have gone too far and the 
gulf has opened to receive them. To you who 
are struggling for deliverance from evil habits 
we want to say there is hope — you may be free 
from every task-master and have every cord 
loosed. But you must cry to Him who alone 
is able to down the evil in vour life. He will 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



211 



make you a free man and put within you a song 
of deliverance. "If the S6n therefore shall 
make you free, ye shall be free indeed." 




212 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



THEY SEEK A COUNTRY 



IN ALL AGES people have been on the 
move, seeking new countries, better cli- 
matic conditions and more congenial sur- 
roundings that they may labor and enjoy pros- 
perity in material things. In the course of 
centuries a country's resources often become 
apparently exhausted, and there seems to be 
little for the increasing population to devote 
their time and energies to, or perhaps a new 
country has just been discovered which offers 
better advantage for obtaining a livelihood. 
The news is heralded back to the home coun- 
try by those who have gone on before, and the 
result is many of the people change their place 
of residence with the hope of bettering their 
condition. 

In the year 1849 when gold was dis- 
covered in California and the news reached the 
eastern states, there was no hardship but what 
the people were willing to endure in order to 
reach the land of gold. With dreams of pre- 
cious nuggets and great wealth haunting them, 
the men hitched their oxen to their "prairie 
schooners" and started on the long and peril- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 213 

ous journey, many of them leaving their 
friends and loved ones behind never to see 
them again. Others took their families with 
them only to be murdered by the cruel and 
bloodthirsty Indians. 

However, many reached the coveted land, 
and not a few came in possession of great 
wealth. So it is to-day. Everywhere people 
are on the move, seeking for better conditions 
of living. Nearly every ship sailing west 
across the Atlantic carries a goodly number 
of passengers who are taking up their residence 
in the United States. Australia and Canada 
are also attracting many Europeans. For the 
most part they have never seen these new coun- 
tries, hence it might be said they are entering 
them by faith. Friends and relatives who pre- 
ceded them a few years previous, have told 
them of the better advantages which prevail 
in the United States and elsewhere, and they, 
of course, believe their reports and come. 
Some of them leave their wives and children 
on the other side of the ocean and expect 
to have them join them within the course of 
a few months or years. 

It seems there is no sacrifice so great, or 
journey so perilous that men will not make in 
order to better their condition in this life. Tell 



214 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

them of a land that abounds in gold and won- 
derful opportunities and they lose no time in 
getting on the scene. People are not indiffer- 
ent to the reports that come from newly dis- 
covered gold fields. They at once begin to 
enquire as to the location, distance, the cost of 
transportation, etc., to such lands, and soon 
their hearts are set on going to the new 
territory. 

We want to tell people about another land. 
Its location is not learned by consulting your 
atlas, neither does your physical geography 
describe it in the least. "Ah, but what land 
is that?" you may ask, "and what book may I 
read to learn something about it?" That land 
is the heavenly land, and the book which tells 
about it is the inspired word of God. Trans- 
portation companies are not advertising this 
land, neither are real estate men offering in- 
ducements there, but the Bible is our guide. 
Perhaps some of you will say, "I want other 
evidence besides the naked word of God be- 
fore I will believe in such a place." Very 
well; turn to the pages of history and we see 
how holy men and women all down the ages 
have written of this eternal land where all is 
complete happiness, and sorrow and trouble 
are not known. On dying beds God's saints 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 217 

with faces aglow with an unearthly light, 
have looked into the very vestibule of heaven, 
as it were, and beheld things impossible to tell. 

Does not such experiences of godly peo- 
ple combined with the eternal word of God 
convince you of the reality of such a place? 
What man or woman cannot interest himself 
in the land above? Multitudes give it but a 
passing thought. You hear of earthly things 
and you believe and are greatly interested, but 
when we tell you of heavenly things you are 
skeptical and unbelieving. What must your 
fate be in the end? Surely you will not be 
carried to a place that you do not believe ex- 
ists, or hope to get there by taking a route 
other than that marked out in the guide-book. 

To reach this land we take passage on a 
boat whose escutcheon bears the word "faith," 
we are borne over the boisterous waves by 
"faith," and are guided past the treacherous 
shoals by "faith," and when at last the perilous 
voyage is over, and we stand at the gates of 
the beautiful and eternal city, "faith" will be 
the password by which we enter. 

The immigrant officers are very strict in 
admitting foreigners to the United States. 
They are subjected to a very close examination 
and many very searching questions are put to 



2i8 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

each one. While many answer the require- 
ments of citizenship, it is often the case that 
some are rejected and must be returned to their 
own country. It may be that they are effected 
with some disease or are maimed in some way. 
Think of a person's travehng three thousand 
miles with hopes of entering upon a new era 
and in a new country only to be rejected and 
turned back to his old haunts. It is a sad 
picture, but must be suffered by some. 

Imagine your consternation and despair, 
if you can, on finding at the last great day 
you are ineligible to enter heaven. You will 
be met at the gates by One whose shining 
apparel will dazzle your eyes. His penetrat- 
ing gaze will pierce your inmost being to the 
very depths. If there be any disease (sin) 
lurking within your soul you will be refused 
admittance. What then? Ah Hsten! You 
will be relegated to that place that has been 
the dumping ground for sinners and unright- 
eous men and women all down the ages — to 
that place of utter despair and torment where 
every ray of light and all hope have vanished 
forever. 

It is comforting to know that we may be 
prepared and become qualified to pass muster 
at the quarantine station of the skies and be 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



219 



admitted to the city, and once inside we will go 
no more out forever. Reader, the Lord in- 
vites you to read His word, yea. He commands 
you to "search the scriptures" and to make 
your calling and election sure. 




^K 



I 



OF THE FIRST FAMILIES 



220 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



THE INDIAN 



THE accompanying pictures bring to mind 
the race of people who once roamed 
the western plains. But long since has 
their power and liberty been wrested from 
them by the superior strength and strategy of 
the white man, and instead of roaming the 
range at will and preying upon the lives and 
property of the white settlers, they are now 
confined to reservations, and number about 
five millions. 

We look upon the Indian in his primitive 
state, and we marvel at his savage nature, and 
his apparent low aim in life. With a thirst 
for blood and a gluttonous appetite for the 
wild meats of the forest, he seemed content 
to live and fight, and hunt and die with the 
hope of going to a happier hunting ground 
upon parting this life. Little did he care for 
the furnished homes or cultivated lands of his 
white-faced brethren, nor did he care to adopt 
the costumes worn by civilized people, but 
quite content was he to continue to attire him- 
self in the bright-colored blankets his fore- 
fathers had worn from time immemorial. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 221 

His ideas of home life reached no higher 
than a tepee and a few rude utensils which even 
to the Indians are indespensible to life. Their 
ponies were their wealth. Without them, life 
would have been monotonous indeed. They 
would have been handicapped in hunting buf- 
faloes, which were valued so highly for food 
as well as for the robes made from their skins. 
Then, too, a young Indian's chances for get- 
ting the girl of his choice depended largely 
upon the number of ponies he possessed, as it 
was the custom to buy her in this way from 
her father. Yet for all this he had little re- 
gard for the life of his horse, often treating 
him unmercifully and riding him up and down 
hill just as long as he could go. 

However, among all races of people there 
are those whose aspirations are higher and who 
seem to live in a somewhat different realm from 
that of their fellowmen. Take Jabez, of Bible 
history, for instance, we read that he "was 
more honorable than his brethren." This may 
be easily accounted for, because he was in the 
habit of calling on the Lord to keep him from 
evil. Evidently he got his prayers through, 
hence this splendid eulogy pronounced upon 
him. This shows us that a man may rise 
above his surroundings and achieve something 



222 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

of worth in the world. The secret Hes in get- 
ting in the wiU of the Lord. 

So even among the Indians some notable 
examples of character have been brought be- 
fore the world. But generally speaking, an 
Indian is an Indian, and for a man to try to 
make anything else out of him is a hard task. 
Take the most promising young man from 
among his people, if you please, place him in 
a school in the city, surround him with con- 
ditions that are conducive to the highest civ- 
ilization, let him become cultured and abreast 
with all the wisdom of the world, and he is 
still an Indian. Let him return to his own 
people, and instead of exhorting them to lay 
aside their barbarous ways, he will drift back 
to the old manner of living. It will be an easy 
matter for him to exchange his 'Svhite man's 
clothing" for that worn by his people. Gladly, 
too, will he exchange the tempting viands of 
the city life for the more substantial diet 
of venison, fish, or perhaps roast dog, as the 
case may be. Of course there are exceptions 
to this rule, but the downward and backward 
trend will be most fearfully manifest. 

But why hold up the Indian as an example 
of low aspirations, and as one who possesses 
nothing that would characterize him as being 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



2^5 



one of God's creatures? Is it not unjust? Let 
us come closer home. Go to the highest walks 
of society, take a look at the so-called Christian 
church of to-day, if you please, study her col- 
lectively and her people individually, observe 
their wearing apparel, their daily lives, etc. If 
your spiritual perception is keen and your eyes 
have been anointed by Jesus Christ, you will 
find that their cold, formal manner of worship 
creates in your breast less enthusiasm than an 
Indian war dance; that the thundering pipe 
organ and hollow, operatic singing is more re- 
pulsive to your ears than the beat of the tom- 
tom and the lingo sung by the red men. Then 
too, the wearing apparel, and especially the hats 
and hobble skirts worn by ''up-to-date'' women 
will look far more hideous to the humble child 
of God than the long string of eagle feathers 
worn down the backs of the Indian Chiefs. 

Considering that all these things are so 
empty and obnoxious to a Spirit-filled follower 
of Christ, does it not follow that they are a 
stench in the nostrils of God? We dare say 
it makes the angels weep and God himself turn 
His back on the whole scene, while the devil 
holds high carnival over his victory. 

The Indian, though treacherous and 
cruel-hearted in his nature, will have far less 

15 



226 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

to account for in the Day of Judgment than 
myriads of those of our day who profess to be 
Christians. The Indian knows no better, the 
white man does. At the Judgment, people 
will be dealt with according to the light 
they have had. Though the white man lives 
on a higher plane, so to speak, than the savage, 
he is just as void of spiritual life and has the 
elements of sin in his heart that will sink him 
to the lowest depths of perdition on parting 
this life. 

But is there no remedy for the sin and 
gigantic evils of our day? We say, "Yes," 
with emphasis. Even an Indian may be trans- 
formed and have the Indian nature taken out 
of him by having the blood of Christ applied 
to his heart. So can a proud, worldly, life- 
less, idol-worshiping church member have the 
heart changed and become a meek and obedient 
child of God. 

May God help people to see that church 
membership is not salvation; that outward 
adornment is not purity of heart — "without 
which no man shall see the Lord." "Be not 
conformed to this world: but be ye trans- 
formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye 
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, 
and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12: 2). 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 2.27 

WATCH AND PRAY 



IT IS REPORTED that 2,346 deer were 
killed by hunters in the Adirondacks dur- 
ing the season of 1910. This is not 
strange, but we are impressed with the fact 
that a deer has a slim chance for life in this 
day and age of the world. Though possessed 
with marked instinct for protecting its life few 
of them escape the aim of the hunter. How- 
ever, instances have been cited where- a single 
deer lived in a certain locality for years and 
by his alertness or superior instinct, escaped 
his enemies, though hunters often followed his 
track in the snow for miles. Perhaps no ani- 
mal is more on the alert for an enemy than the 
deer and great caution is necessary in order 
to obtain an effective shot. Yet the cunning 
hunter spares no pains nor shrinks any hard- 
ship in order to secure his coveted prize, and 
where there used to be hundreds of these inno- 
cent creatures hardly a single one can be found. 
We are reminded of another hunt that is 
continually going on in the universe. Satan, 
the chief hunter is stalking the country in 
search of prey. For six thousand years he 



228 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

has been going through the world ''Seeking 
whom he may devour," and he knows his busi- 
ness well. His game is the souls of men and 
few escape his fiery darts. Multitudes in all 
ages have fallen before his deadly aim or been 
taken in his strong nets, and his work of 
slaughter continues to increase with each suc- 
ceeding generation. The only way for a per- 
son to keep out of range of his guns is to 
"watch and pray." First, become converted 
and sanctified that the spiritual eyes may be 
opened and the ears unstopped that the ap- 
proach of the enemy may be detected. Reader, 
"Be not deceived," Satan is on your track. 
As you go through this world committing sin 
and disobeying God you are leaving behind 
a trail that will betray you into the hands of 
the enemy. Your only hope is to have the 
marks of sin obliterated by the blood of Jesus 
and put yourself under His protection. Do 
it now, lest every opportunity soon be gone 
from you forever. 

Time and chance happen to all. "For man 
also knoweth not his time : as the fishes that are 
taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are 
caught in the snare; so are the sons of men 
snared in an evil time, when it falleth sud- 
denly upon them" (Eccl. 9: 12). 




^r1 



<fh 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 231 

MEDITATION ■ 



WHAT is meditation? We go to the dic- 
tionary and read the answer: "The 
turning or revolving of a subject in 
the mind." Happy is the man who meditates 
upon the works of God's hand and puts his 
holy contemplation into practice. Any truly 
successful life is given much to meditation. 
No great enterprise comes by mere chance, but 
is the product of meditation and experiment. 
Meditation of the right sort impels action. It 
is written of Enoch that he walked with God ; 
here is not an idle, but an active communion. 

There is far too little meditation and holy 
contemplation in the world to-day. This is a 
fast age and everything is running at light- 
ning speed. Electricity and steam have taken 
the place of the horse, and men are whirled 
about at a rapid rate and few take time for 
serious thought. Commercialism has well 
nigh reached its zenith and men must act 
quickly if they would keep up with the pro- 
cession that is bent on obtaining material 
things. But they keep up only for a moment, 
their overworked brain and nerves soon sue- 



232 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

cumb to the strain. They drop out and others 
take their places only to meet the fate of their 
predecessors. Perhaps nowhere as in Amer- 
ica are the people living at such a high tension. 
The people of New York City are said to be 
the most nervous people on the globe. In Lon- 
don where more people live and do business 
than any other place in the world, one does not 
see the rushing through life as in the United 
States, and there are less accidents and loss of 
life where the traffic is the heaviest. 

Satan wants no better way of getting the 
souls of men than by rushing them through 
life in pursuit of material things. When once 
started on the mad rush for gold, pleasure or 
worldly fame, it is next to impossible to get one 
to stop and consider his end. 

God's people are a meditative people and 
their thoughts are ever on the things that per- 
tain to God and eternity. Perhaps no other 
Bible character was so given to meditation as 
was David, and he was a man after God's own 
heart. When with the sheep on the hillsides 
he meditated continually on God's statutes and 
precepts and declared that His commandments 
were ever with him. From the lowly life of 
a shepherd boy he scaled the heights of God's 
promises and reached the throne. Through 




A GOOD VIEW-POINT 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 235 

his holy musings he became familiar with 
His statutes or promises and he put them 
to the test. He undertook great things for 
God and expected great things from Him. 

If we would improve our lives we must put 
our meditations into practice. If we wish to be 
in health we do not sit in the house and breathe 
over and over again the air that comes to us, 
but we break away from our prison and seek 
God's great out-of-doors, and if there be any 
elevated spots about us we travel thither that 
we may better inhale the invigorating breeze. 
There is something peculiarly fascinating 
about mountain climbing and the benefits de- 
rived from such practice are invaluable to the 
physical man. The writer lived in the 
shadows of Pike's Peak for a number of weeks 
and occasionally went up into the foot-hills, 
but he was not quite satisfied until he had stood 
on the summit of this noted mountain. Hav- 
ing made the ascent during the night, we stood 
on top just at the break of day. We looked 
toward the east and clouds, dark and gray, and 
some almost colorless, hung low over the earth 
and cast their gloom everywhere. But pres- 
ently streaks of fiery red and gold began to 
shoot out in every direction and the sun ap- 
peared, and what a moment before was dull and 



236 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

uninteresting shone out in magnificent beauty 
and we stood in awe at the majesty of the 
scene. Who could look upon such glorious 
beauty and not have his mind drawn out in holy 
meditation and want to live better that he 
might have a part in God's great plan of re- 
demption and learn more of what lies out be- 
yond? If one remains down in the valley he 
can see but a short distance and may have but 
a slight conception of the nature of the country 
about him. It is good to exercise oneself in 
reaching high altitudes and secure a view, not 
only of the things above, but of thosebelow. The 
vision is unobstructed and things look different. 
Thus it is with the soul that is in a vigorous 
spiritual state. He does not merely think upon 
such holy doctrines as may come into his mind 
in the regular course of thought, but he gives 
time to meditation, and exercises daily in ex- 
ploring fields of truth and in climbing the 
heights of God's promises. He seeks out the 
best view-points obtained through truth, and 
looks back upon the past as well as into the 
future. 

Just as the sun's rising caused the dullness 
of the clouds to vanish and made them to daz- 
zle the eyes with their beauty, just so does the 
Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 237 

wings and transform the sinful soul and make 
it to reflect the image of God. One marvels 
at such a wonderful change, but such is the 
power of the Gospel to bring the sinner to re- 
pentance, lift him out of the fogs and miasmas 
of this world and make him a person whom 
God and the angels are pleased to look upon. 

Let not the reader merely think upon holy 
doctrines and go through religious forms, but 
let him meditate continually upon the works of 
God's hands and begin to climb. We may go 
higher and higher and from each view-point 
get an idea of what God has in store for those 
who follow in the way of His commandments. 
If we travel the way of righteousness unto the 
end we shall some day stand with Christ on 
some starry height and gaze upon the glorious 
views of His kingdom throughout all eternity. 
The Christian life is one of progress and they 
who remain as they are from day to day and 
are not gaining new heights continually are 
surely in a dangerous condition and traveling 
the downward path. 

As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor 
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart 
of man, the things which God hath prepared 
for them that love him. 



238 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

THE STAMPEDE 



AND THE HERD ran violently down a 
steep place into the sea" (Mark 5:13). 
''AH animals that go in herds are sub- 
ject to instantaneous attacks of uncontrollable 
terror, under the influence of which they be- 
come perfectly mad, and rush headlong in 
dense masses on any form of death. Horses, 
and more especially cattle, often suffer from 
stampedes; it is a danger against which cow- 
boys are compelled to be perpetually on guard. 
A band of stampeded horses, sweeping in mad 
terror up a valley, will dash against a rock or 
tree with such violence as to leave several dead 
animals at its base, while the survivors race on 
without halting; they will overturn and de- 
stroy tents and wagons, and a man on foot 
caught in the rush has but a small chance for 
his life. A buffalo stampede is worse — or 
rather was worse, in the old days — because of 
the great weight and immense numbers of 
these beasts, which in a fury of heedless terror 
plunged over cliffs and into rivers, and bore 
down whatever was in their path." 

— The Wilderness Hunter. 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 241 

The reader may ask what starts animals 
on these stampedes that bring sure and swift 
destruction to every Hving creature before 
them as well as to themselves. We have seen 
a single little calf seized with this peculiar 
terror, run for miles across the prairie. While 
asleep in the sage brush a passing band of wild 
horses started him from his resting place and 
he followed in their cloud of dust for several 
miles and when he could no longer keep up with 
them, he took a different direction and went 
rushing blindly through wire fences and across 
ditches as far as we could see him go. Often 
large numbers of cattle will be grazing in a val- 
ley or along the foothills when the sudden ap- 
pearance of a wolf or a bear from the timber 
will disturb a few head which immediately take 
to their heels. Thus terrorized the spirit goes 
from one to the other and soon a large number 
are on the move. Then sometimes the sudden 
approach of a storm or blizzard may start 
them, and at other times they will start without 
any apparent cause for alarm. 

In the earlier days when the cattle on the 
plains were of a wilder nature and were herded 
in greater numbers, stampedes among them 
were more frequent and when once started 
it meant death to many of them and endan- 

16 



242 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

gered the lives of those who were in charge. 
Different methods were employed by the cow- 
boys in their attempts to stop a stampede, but 
all efforts were often of little effect. They 
ride along the forward side of the herd yelling 
and often firing into the air, and not infre- 
quently shoot down a leader or two with the 
hope of checking the others. If they can get 
them to ''milling" or circling around, they have 
a fair chance of checking the stampede. On 
such occasions a horse sometimes stumbles and 
falls and the entire herd passes over both horse 
and rider and they are trampled to death. 
Like the herd of demon-possessed swine we 
read about in the Bible that ran over the preci- 
pice and were drowned in the sea, the cattle 
seem -^^owerless to stop. They seem driven by 
an evil force that is bent on their destruction. 
On the great herd goes across the prairie, up 
hill and down hill, through the sage brush and 
across ravines. Occasionally one stumbles 
and falls and is trampled to death, but the 
mass with unabated strength, rushes on, leav- 
ing in their wake a cloud of dust. At last a 
great precipice is reached and the yawning 
canon is 'open to receive them. Below are 
jagged rocks and written on them is DEATH. 
Those in the lead would stop now, were it in 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 243 

their power to do so, but it is too late. They 
pause for an instant, but those in the rear that 
cannot see the danger as they do, crowd up 
from behind and preclude any possibility of 
their stopping, and in great numbers they drop 
to their doom and pile up in the canon. 

Sheep, too, suffer no little from stampedes. 
Though of a docile disposition, they are ex- 
ceedingly timid and easily affrighted, and are 
sometimes seized with sudden fear by a wolf 
or coyote entering- the flock. They seldom 
make long dashes across the country, but when 
thus affrighted they crowd against one an- 
other and many are knocked down, and not 
infrequently large numbers pile up together 
in a ravine or depression in the earth and are 
smothered. 

With the passing of the buffalo and the 
diminishing of the great herds of cattle in the 
West, stampedes among animals are almost 
a thing unheard of, but we want to tell you 
about another stampede. It had its beginning 
centuries ago with the human race. In the 
Garden of Eden all was at first peace and c[uiet. 
But that frightful creature, the serpent, en- 
tered and beguiled our first parents, and the 
race was started on the mad rush to destruc- 
tion, and has gathered momentum with each 



244 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

succeeding generation. ''And God looked 
upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; 
for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the 
earth. And God said to Noah, The end of 
all flesh is come before me; for the earth is 
filled with violence through them ; and, behold, 
I will destroy them with the earth." Thus it 
was that sin and disobedience started men 
toward misery and death. The flood came 
and from the tranquil surroundings in Eden 
the race had rushed into the . turbulent and 
boundless waters and all but eight souls were 
destroyed. Thus was the reign of evil on the 
earth checked for a period and one stampede 
of human beings brought to an end, but it was 
not long until man was again seized with the 
spirit of evil and all down the ages great mul- 
titudes have been rushing headlong over the 
precipice into eternal night. Here and there 
an individual or two, or small companies break 
away, and through the power of God, throw 
off the spell that possessed them and are saved, 
but the masses rush on heedless of their doom. 

Young men and women living quiet and 
happy in their homes are often seized with a 
desire to get out into the world. They give 
way to their inclinations, throw off the hand of 
restraint, and are soon lost in the mad rush 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 247 

with those who are already going at a rapid 
rate. When once in the great company and 
under the spell, one looks about him and sees 
everybody going in the same direction and 
he comes to the conclusion that they are going 
the right way and will eventually reach a 
place of safety, that danger has been left in 
the rear and that all must be well. But instead 
of escaping danger, he all too soon finds himself 
at the edge of the great abyss. Fain would 
he put the brakes on, but it is too late. Like 
the cattle or buffaloes, he must face the inevi- 
table and be carried over the precipice from 
whence there is no return. 

If animals had the power to control them- 
selves there would never have been any such 
thing as a stampede. When danger threat- 
ened they could have escaped it without bring- 
ing on a greater danger. So it is with man, 
perfect self-control will fortify him against 
becoming swallowed up of the masses whose 
end is misery. Self-control is a rare virtue 
and a lack of it is manifested in many ways. 
This lack is exhibited by the drunkard when he 
repeatedly partakes of that which is working 
his ruin and bringing disgrace and misery to 
his friends and loved ones. It is exhibited by 
the man or woman who under trial gives way 



248 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

to his temper and sends forth a volley of angry 
words and displays the hatred in his heart. 
Such exhibitions of a lack of self-control are 
index-fingers pointing to the fact that the one 
who thus indulges himself is a part of the 
great stampede whose end is destruction. The 
power of God alone can help a person to con- 
trol himself and deliver him from the power of 
evil that is driving myriads to their doom. 

The gentle reader may try to imagine this 
illustration of the stampede too strong to com- 
pare with human beings traveling through life, 
but can a picture be drawn or language be 
chosen that will rightly convey to our minds 
the misery of sin and the horror of its eternal 
punishment? We say no. Verily the end of 
the wicked is torment and there is no escape 
for those who allow themselves to be carried 
on the tide of sin and worldliness and fail to 
lay hold on eternal life. 

All who are living in sin and have not 
been converted are in this stampede or mad 
rush of human beings, and the longer one con- 
tinues his course the less are his chances for 
extricating himself and it is only a question of 
a little time until the awful crash will come. 
But God, through His Son Jesus, has provided 
a way of escape for every soul. By the for- 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



249 



saking of sin and by giving God the preemi- 
nence in the Hfe, the power of evil may be 
broken and one may become fortified against 
the forces that start one on the mad rush to 
ruin. Reader, resist evil and lay hold on Him 
who alone is able to save. Remember that a 
lack of self-control drives men to the most 
frightful extremes and ends their lives in 
misery. 




J 



250 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



A COLD RIDE 



IT was December, and the many cattle be- 
longing to the Herding Association 

had been rounded up, gathered in from 
the summer range and trailed to their winter 
quarters fifty miles distant. When the round- 
ing up had been accomplished and preparations 
were completed for moving camp, the gates 
were opened and the cattle set at liberty. Scar- 
city of feed and prevailing storms had made 
them restless and they were ready to travel in 
most any direction. The older cattle having 
been over the trail before needed little driving 
when once set at liberty, and started at a steady 
gait over the trail in the direction of home. 

To one viewing the scene from an elevated 
position a. few miles away, the large herd of 
cattle on the snow-covered earth, appeared to 
be a large dark spot, which gradually grew 
smaller and assumed an elongated form as the 
cattle strung out across the foothills. In due 
time the last few stragglers had left the field, 
and the herd of seven or eight thousand head 
formed a continuous line reaching to the foot 
of the divide eight miles distant. 






' L. b. 










, MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 253 

On reaching the hih, the progress of the 
larger and stronger cattle is slackened but little 
and they continue on to the top of the diA'ide 
and down on the other side, and before thebreak 
of another day some of them are entering the 
fields at the home ranch. But the younger and 
weaker ones come to a halt and it takes some 
work on the part of the cowboys and their 
horses to get them over the hill. However, 
the work is accomplished and the cattle are 
driven home, separated and put in different 
fields for the winter, and another season's work 
is practically over, while the cowboys sit in the 
bunkhouse on the long winter evenings and re- 
late experiences of riding broncos, roping 
steers, etc. 

But the subject of this sketch was sug- 
gested through an altogether different expe- 
rience. After a fall round-up there are al- 
ways a few cattle here and there hid away in 
the timber and secluded corners of the range 
that have escaped the eyes of the riders. To 
search out these a single rider, usually the fore- 
man of the herd, makes another ride or two 
into the snowy mountains. On the occasion 
in mind he saddled a small roan pony and 
started out from the home ranch on the after- 
noon of a cold day. At night time he put up 



254 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

at a comfortable ranch house thirty miles away. 
Here he enjoyed the hospitality of friends and 
appreciated warm quarters for the night. The 
next day the weather was terrific. The ther- 
mometer was not far from thirty below zero, 
and the wind was blowing a gale and coming 
from the direction the young man was travel- 
ing. Gladly would he have camped at the 
house and waited for more favorable weather, 
but such would never do. He was sent out by 
men who believed in him and trusted him to 
bring their stock safely in, and to fail might 
mean the loss of position and reputation. 

A twenty mile ride against a strong wind 
on such a day is not relished very much even 
by a Montana cowboy. Nevertheless he 
mounts his wiry little steed and is soon push- 
ing his way against snow and wind up the val- 
ley of G . In less than an hour he is five 

miles away at the foot of the noted divide. Here 
a comfortable lodging house offers shelter from 
the storm, but he must go on. Four miles trav- 
eling through deep snow would place him on 
top at an altitude of eight or ten thousand 
feet above sea level. The road up the hill has 
long since been obliterated by drifting snow, 
but here and there high posts designed for the 
purpose, mark the way for the traveler. The 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 257 

wind seems to be trying itself, coming directly 
down the mountain side, bringing the snow 
with it. One can scarcely look up for a mo- 
ment, but must battle along with bowed head 
to shield one's face from the cutting snow. 
Even the hardy little pony bows his head and 
would fain turn about and go in the opposite 
direction. How much easier would it be going 
down hill with the wind than going up hill 
against it. Many a time had the rider gone 
over this same route, but never before had 
the way seemed so rugged and the top so far 
away. Now and then he was compelled to dis- 
mount and walk for a distance to keep warm as 
well as to rest his horse. At last the top is 
reached and the descent of the other side ac- 
complished. Here in the valley a ranch house 
is reached where a halt for the noon hour is 
made. What a happy retreat from the storm 
was the firmly built log house heated by a large 
stove ! One might well enjoy such a place for 
days and be loath to venture out again. 

After partaking of a warm lunch the cow- 
boy pursued his journey and put up at another 
ranch house for the night, having traveled all 
day without seeing another traveler. After 
riding two or three days he sought out a num- 
ber of head of cattle and returned with them to 

17 



258 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

the home ranch, and the season's work ended. 

Such experiences of battling against the 
cold and stormy weather are common in the 
life of a cowboy on the western plains, but this 
one is cited because it is associated in our mind 
with experiences that come to a pilgrim travel- 
ing the rugged way to heaven and who is 
searching the cold mountains of a sinful world 
for the lost and perishing ones that he might 
save them and bring them to a place of shelter. 
Ofttimes the way seems exceptionally rugged 
and the cold winds from a godless world beat 
fiercely against the Christian. At such times 
he may be tempted to turn from the way and 
shirk his responsibility and pursue a course 
that offers less resistance, but he is reminded 
of his duty to humanity: he realizes that the 
perishing ones need his help, and with renewed 
strength and courage born of heaven, he strug- 
gles on. Then again he is impressed that his 
employer is the King of the universe, and to 
forfeit His good will and blessing would be 
ignominious failure and would ultimately 
mean the loss of all things. 

If you would serve God daily and enjoy 
His blessings eternally, bear in mind that the 
way to heaven does not lie over brussels 
carpets, neither is it strewn with roses. The 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 259 

gentle zephyrs from the heavenly world may 
play about your fevered brow at times, and the 
atmosphere be laden with the fragrance of 
flowers, but if you would be a life-long soldier 
for Jesus Christ you will meet with varied ex- 
periences. You may be basking in sunshine 
to-day, and to-morrow have the fierce gales 
of reproach and persecution blowing against 
you threatening to turn you from your course. 
But here one's purpose of heart is tried; 
here endurance is essential. Those who give 
up the struggle before they reach the top of 
the Great Divide, will find themselves drifting 
with the wind (world), and their end is de- 
struction if they are not checked in some way. 
But he who goes steadily on and faces every 
difficulty with a brave heart will finally reach 
the top, having finished his course and con- 
quered every foe, even death. He may look 
back down the mountain side and think of the 
trials and the conflicts he had with self, sin 
and the devil along the way, but they will seem 
as nothing, when viewing his eternal posses- 
sions and contemplating the rest and blessed- 
ness that are his forever. Reader, do you not 
think it will pay you to make the fight against 
worldliness and sin and live a pure and holy 
life? 



26o FLASHLIGHTS FROM 



THE HARVEST IS PAST 



SINCE there are so many cattle, horses and 
sheep in the West, it is very necessary 
that there be much hay on which to feed 
them during the long and severe winter 
months. On the average farm in the eastern 
states where all the stock that is kept is a few 
work horses and a few milk cows, all the hay 
that is raised could easily be put away in a 
large hay mow or stacked in a small stack con- 
sisting of a few tons. 

But not so on the large stock ranches of 
the West, where hay is the principal and per- 
haps the only crop the rancher has to depend 
upon. Here, especially in the upper or ele- 
vated valleys, where the hay is principally 
wild grasses, the industry is carried on on a 
very extensive scale. Much machinery, many 
wagons, horses and men are required to har- 
vest the vast crop on some of the larger 
ranches. It sometimes takes six weeks or 
longer to accomplish the task, hundreds and 
even thousands of tons being harvested on one 
ranch. The hay is put in large stacks, some 
of them consisting of a hundred tons or more. 




f 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 263 

but usually from forty to seventy-five tons is 
the amount put in a stack. 

You might ask where so many men are 
secured to harvest so much hay. Indeed it is 
sometimes difficult to obtain the necessary 
help, but as good wages are offered for this 
kind of work, men come from the cities and 
towns by the dozens to hire out to the ranchers 
for the haying season. Often men of little 
principle are hired, who only want to work 
long enough to obtain a few dollars, and then 
they are off to the nearest town to spend it for 
drink or something else that is unprofitable to 
them. This of course causes the rancher no 
little bother, for he often is left without men 
and has to drive thirty or forty miles after an- 
other crew, if it so happens that he lives so 
far from town. 

Then again harvesting the hay crop is 
sometimes retarded by rain, though it rains 
much less in Montana, Wyoming and other 
western states than in the East. Happy in- 
deed is the rancher when the last load is 
hauled from the field and the last stack ''topped 
out," or finished. He breathes a sigh of re- 
lief and says, "Well, we are done for this 
year." The long stacker poles are taken down, 
and the ropes, nets, pulleys, machines, pitch- 



264 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

forks, etc., are put away, not to be used again 
till the next haying season rolls around. 

The horses are turned out in the large 
fields and some of them may not be used until 
harvest comes again. The men are paid off, 
who scatter out and find their way in com- 
panies of four or five, singly or in pairs, to the 
different towns along the railroad. Here 
many of them ''eat, drink, and be merry" so 
long as their money lasts, which is usually not 
very long, then they are looking for another 
job. 

But before leaving for the city let us as- 
cend to some elevated position (or perhaps our 
road leads over the high divide which separates 
one valley from another), and take a view of 
the extensive hay-fields below. When we first 
viewed the fields, vast stretches of tall, green 
grass, waving to and fro in the breezes, met 
our eyes on every side. Then the click of the 
mower is heard, and the grass is laid flat 
upon the ground. In due time the rake comes 
along, and the next we see the whole field is 
thickly dotted with little mounds or cocks of 
hay. Now that the harvest is ended large 
stacks are in evidence everywhere. Here stands 
two, a little distance away three, over in an- 
other field is four or five, and so on till the once 



MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN 



265 



conspicuous ranch-houses have faded into in- 
significance in camparison to the stacks of hay. 
Several days or perhaps a few weeks of hot 
sun, together with the showers of rain or dew, 
have bleached 'their tops and sides until they 
have become a rich yellow and glisten like gold 
in the bright sunlight. And indeed they are as 
gold to the rancher, for without them his stock 
would perish for want of the nourishment 
which the hay alone contains. 

It is but three or four months, however, 
after the hay is stacked, till the cold winds 
are blowing and the snow flying, and covering 
up the short grass in the meadows, which 
necessitates the stock's being fed. The hay is 
loaded onto wagons and hauled to the field 
where the hungry cattle or sheep stand waiting 
for it. It is thrown out on the snow or frozen 
ground in forkfuls as the team moves along, 
and if the cattle are exceedingly hungry some 
of the hay seems never to touch the ground 
so eagerly do they gather it up. Thus by this 
process the once numerous stacks are reduced 
to a minimum until by spring scarcely one can 
be seen. But our heavenly Father, who is the 
giver of every good and gracious gift, sends the 
springtime, with its bright sunshine, and im- 
mediately another crop is under wav of growth. 



266 FLASHLIGHTS FROM 

We wonder if many of our readers ap- 
preciate God's goodness in supplying them so 
bountifully with these things. We dare say 
many of you never give the question a passing 
thought. A thing more wonderful and 
more greatly to be prized than hay, corn, wheat 
and oat crops, is the provision God has made 
for the soul of man. Those who come unto 
Him seeking rest and deliverance from sin will 
have heavenly blessings bestowed upon them 
that will last throughout the endless ages of 
eternity. In this life they will be led beside 
still waters and green pastures. They may 
partake of the waters of salvation and never 
thirst again, they may eat of the heavenly 
manna and never hunger again. The wealth 
of this world will fade and fail, but he who lays 
up treasures above shall never come to want. 

Happy indeed is the person who starts out 
in life to seek heavenly treasures. Those who 
seek, find. To those who knock, the door shall 
be opened. He that asketh receiveth. Soon 
the harvest of life will be over and every op- 
portunity gone. May it not be said of any of 
our readers, "The harvest is past, the summer 
is ended, and we are not saved." 



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